The Yondaime's Assistant
by DianaMoth
Summary: When I reincarnated in the world of Naruto, I was lucky enough to live in Konoha but not lucky enough to get all the superpowers you could hope for. I failed my jounin-sensei test and ended up in the Genin Corps. Bye bye jounin rank but, considering it also meant avoiding the battlefield, that's fine with me. Now I just had to get a position allowing me to change History...
1. The Genin Corps

_**NB:** I'm french and this story isn't beta-ed. Sorry in advance for any mistake. If something bother you, don't hesitate to explain the problem in a nice review and I'll correct it._

* * *

I should probably feel devastated for failing our jounin sensei's test or, at least, hope fruitlessly for a second chance (I was in an anime world where everything was possible, and things were supposed to arrange themselves after all… that was the theory at least, reality had proved different). Kami knew that many of the kids around me were downcast with their head lowered and a heavy frown.

Not me. Why? Well, first, to be honest, my team and sensei sucked. Seriously, the two boys were the most annoying of my class, I couldn't have had worst luck. As for the jounin, he had been an asshole from the first second. I wouldn't have been able to trust them in the field. It would have been a disaster. Then, there was the fact that the Third Shinobi War was still going on, and that I certainly wasn't eager to be sent on a battlefield (in retrospect, our jounin-sensei had seemed to be in a hurry to go back, that showed what a weirdo he was...).

I was part of the failures. That wasn't new: I was one in my past life. I could deal with it. I just wasn't sure what to think of this change in my future's plans yet…

I had thought that, maybe, with my (fore)knowledge, I could change some things. Not everything of course, but something on the small scale, something to make me feel useful at least, like reincarnating with memories of my past life had a purpose.

I knew that I was a year younger than Hatake Kakashi and his teammates. His early graduation had been the talk of the town.

This meant that, by my calculations, I had five years until the Kyuubi attack. I had no illusions that I could stop it, although I hadn't excluded the possibility if an opportunity presented itself. My goal was simply to save as many lives as I could that day.

Would being part of the Genin Corps change that plan? Maybe not. It didn't matter anyway, speculations wouldn't help me.

We had been told to appear at seven thirty the day following our choice of orientation, in an old building close to the aviary. It was small and circular with two floors and a flat rooftop. The kanji for 'work' was carved above its entry. The ground floor was an open space. The windows were huge, giving a lot of light and some were strategically open in every direction which caused a lot of drafts; shinobi were entering and leaving that way like they were doors (they might as well be).

We were thirteen waiting in the lobby but we weren't the only ones to have failed. None had gone back to the Academy to try the Jounin path again: we weren't allowed. Konoha couldn't afford wasting resources during wartime by making us repeat a year. However, two children had given up the shinobi way and twelve had been lucky enough to catch the attention of a specialized shinobi and be offered an apprenticeship. I was a bit jealous of them. Oh, there was no way I could join the Medic Corps even if I admired them: my chakra control was good but nothing revolutionary and I sucked at learning by heart (in my opinion, that was partly because my mind was already too cluttered). I was really interested in the Cryptanalysis Team though but no luck…

"Attention!"

Without a second thought, I straightened up and adjusted my stance, looking right in front of me at the wall while the others did the same with more or less success. We were standing in a line, waiting for our new superior.

From the corner of my eyes, I watched him as he walked up the line, correcting every genin like a perfectionist. He was a middle-age man, that I immediately pegged for a Akimichi, not only because of his stature for he was a little less chubby than the clansmen and more… square, but he had the facial tattoos and the wild brown hair. He looked like a bear and he easily towered over us all.

I tensed as he moved on from the genin on my left – whom he told off for his sloppy clothing. I was staring at his brown chest plate (that was the only thing at my eye-level), waiting and doing my best not to flinch.

Since we weren't chuunin, we didn't have any uniform. I was wearing grey tights, brown boots and a practical forest green kimono stopping mid-thigh. While I had a thigh weapon holster like most shinobi, many of my tools were hidden in the pockets of my grey obi (thanks auntie for those awesome hand-sewn pockets). My grey hitai-ate was tied around my neck like a choker to protect my carotid. With my brown hair in a flat and perfectly smooth bun, I knew I had one of the most sensible and tidy look around.

"At least someone presentable. What's your name, girl?"

"Kamizuki Maiko, Sir."

"Keep it up, genin."

"Yes, Sir!"

I was careful not to slouch even after he moved on, used to the principle that elite shinobi had eyes behind their back, even when they weren't a Hyuuga.

"I am Tokubetsu Jounin Akimichi Kuma, Commander of the Genin Corps!"

Oh sweet lord, his name was 'bear'! I bit my bottom lip in an attempt to _not_ laugh. That would have ruined the good impression I had given him but really… such a name… No. Focus!

"From this day onwards, you're proud members of the Genin Corps!" He made eye contact with each of us slowly with his arms behind his back before smiling. "I know what you think. That's not what you wanted. No-one plans to end up in the Genin Corps. It's the lowest position you can find. Gofers. Paper pushers. Couriers. Fetchers. You name the least desirable job possible and you are it."

If he wanted to make us proud, he had a strange way to start.

"Every other shinobi will look down on you, and you will have to take it, in silence, politely, because you're the lowest of the low, the bottom of the ladder. You'll have to do the most unrewarding tasks with little to no thanks."

A really strange way to do it. Can I still give up? Aunt Izuna had offered to take me as an apprentice seamstress; there were worst jobs…

"You'll be frustrated. You'll want to quit. Most of you will, sooner or later, unless you manage to climb your way in the Chuunin Corps."

Yeah, that was definitely the plan. I had low ambition but not low enough that I planned to be an eternal genin.

"But the thing is – and I want you to remember this, if there is only one thing you will recall from today, make sure this is it – _you_ are the base on which Konaha rests. _You_ 're the ants that allow our village to stay strong, coherent and effective. _You_ are essential to your superiors. _You_ are the shadows running in the background of this live play. Your work is _indispensable_ and _you are important_ ," he proclaimed.

Never mind. He was good. His belief in his speech was indisputable. Several genin who had started to slouch, their shoulders low, straightened.

"I want you to look at those around you. Look and remember: you're in the same boat. From now on, the path is hard and treacherous but you're not traveling alone. You're a team. You're the Genin Corps. Be proud. Stand tall."

That was a really nice speech. Especially effective for ten years old kids. Personally, I chose to reserve my judgement… and I was right.

oOo

There were three categories of tasks for the Genin Corps: Office Help, Courier Work and Manual Labor. Sometimes, those tasks blended together.

For our beginning, we rotated the missions, to get used to everything.

Now, like I said, Konoha was at war. Even if we weren't on the battlefield, there was no time for rest, for briefing or explanations, or anything of the sort. The Commander's speech was nice and all, but the fact was: we were cheap labor, and we were paid at the number of tasks done (they can't be called 'missions' anymore, not when it's just a "Fetch that", "Give this to whatshisname" or "Fix this").

In my precedent life, I could vaguely recall being thrown in a situation like this, with little to no training, and I had panicked.

I didn't this time, purely because you know what? Screw this. You wanted a mindless worker, I could be one. I had pretended to be an average child since I was reborn, that wasn't much different.

Courier was easy. I ran. I wasn't really fond of running but I wasn't slow and there were less people to deal with, so courier work was fine.

Office help was boring. We were stuck indoors, carrying files from point A to point B, fetching files from point C to point B, or classifying files when we were very lucky. What those files were about? No clue. We were genin corps, we were mindless drones.

Manual labor was, as you can guess, really tiring and most often dirty work. However, like for courier work, at least we were moving around and active. When we were working on civilian territory, some of them even thanked us (and wasn't it a little sad that it was a big deal for us? We were kids and getting used to the idea that there will be no recognition for our work, that bothered me somehow).

After a week discovering nooks of Konoha that I had never noticed, I was exhausted. At eight in the morning, like many of my coworkers, I was yawning and stretching. We were waiting for our commander's arrival and his usual inspection and morning speech. It was a ritual that I came to like. Akimichi Kuma was fair and supportive. His encouragements were sometimes the only good part of the day.

"Attention!"

Immediately ramrod-straight, I clenched my jaws to stop any impulsive yawn.

"Congratulations genin!" Kuma shouted after his inspection. "You have _all_ endured your week of initiation in the corps! Let me tell you, that's not always the case. It seems like you're a good bunch this year. To celebrate this occasion and make what's coming easier, today, I'm teaching you something new."

You could immediately feel the shift in the mood as we waited eagerly. Some would be puzzled at the thirst of knowledge we displayed but, truthfully, after one week of menial tasks, learning something new would be a great change. No one became chuunin by being mailman.

"As some of you might have realized, your courier runs would be so much shorter and easier if only you could run and jump on the roofs like every other shinobi, am I right?"

And with that Kuma had everyone's attention, from the drowsiest to the most defiant. There wasn't any skill most coveted than wall walking and roof hopping.

For teaching us this so quickly, I felt like hugging our commander. I had dreamed of this since I first saw shinobi do it past my window when I was a toddler for the second time. I was giddy.

We trooped off behind him to the cliff nearby. Divided by a few meters each, we faced the stone wall as Kuma instructed us (his explanation was much more detailed than the one Kakashi had given to Team Seven). We all rushed forward eagerly at his signal.

I was probably the most cautious, trying first without running, with only one foot on the cliff to check if I was sticking or being repulsed from the stone. I increased the chakra flow until it stuck, and only then I took a run-up. I climbed to the height of the nearest tree with a delighted smile. Once you understood how much chakra you had to use, the drain was rather more on the body – that wasn't supposed to defy gravity! – than anything else. Every muscle was used to support the shoulders and the hips on an horizontal position. It wasn't as easy as jounin made it looked like.

"Well done Kamizuki-kun! Now, jump on the tree!" Kuma instructed from the ground.

Oh, shit… How was I supposed to do that? I had to let go from the wall to jump, but when should I let the chakra output go? How did I push? Oh, hell, if I fell from that height, it would suck.

A small round stone suddenly collided with my head. I rubbed it with a whine.

"Stop overthinking it Kamizuki-kun! Jump! Now!"

Kuma was fair and friendly but when he told you to jump, you better do it fast. If you were too slow, you were in for the bear slap – it wasn't pleasant. So, I jumped. I had barely the time to think "Oh shit, I knew it, I stopped the output too late", before I fell too far from the tree and the wall.

I landed in Kuma's arms with a "Oof" but no pain.

"Not bad for a first try, Kamizuki-kun. Now, get back there and try again."

"Yes, sir!" I agreed dutifully, too grateful for his perfect catch to even think about protesting.

On the second try, I was close enough from the tree that I managed to slow down my fall by grasping a branch. On the third, I landed directly on a branch like a bag of potatoes and my face collided with the bark. Grateful that I wasn't wearing glasses in this life, I cradled my nose and waited for the blood to stop.

"That's good work, Kamizuki-kun. Keep it up!"

I made a compliant noise and sighed internally. At least this was for a worthy cause. Roof jumping, here I came!

oOo

After two months in the Genin Corps, I knew Konoha like the back of my hand. I was also getting familiar with many shinobi and where you could find them: some of them had very specific habits.

Nara Shikaku for example. He could mostly be found in the jounin lounge playing shogi (or go) or resting near the edge of the Nara Forest. The second option was always more _troublesome_ considering you had to identify yourself to be let in the clan compound. Then you had to find him in one of his favorite spots and, let me tell you, the Nara's forest was _big_. Some times were easier than others.

Today wasn't one of those. He was nowhere to be found! Exasperated, I went to the deer herder's facility to ask for help.

"If he can't be found, it means he doesn't want to be found, kid," an old man told her between yawns.

"With all due respect Sir, if someone gave me a C-class message for him it means they want me to find him," I pointed out.

"C-class?" The Nara snorted, shrugged and turned away. "That can wait. Just come back later."

Great, one of those old members of the elite who thought that anything less than a B-class was peanuts.

" _When_? When he'll have left and gone back to the Tower to ask for the scroll he was waiting for?" From the slight exasperation in my voice, you could tell that I was speaking from experience. For shinobi, messengers – especially those with low priority mail – were always late or untimely. Someone could always find a reason to complain. It was a losing battle.

"He's probably in the forest," a young girl stepped in before the elder started to grumble about disrespect. "If I see him, I'll ask him where you can find him next, if you want."

From the fact she was willing to help and wasn't looking down on me knowing I was from the Genin Corps, I pegged her for an academy student. I gave her a bright smile and a slight bow. "Thank you, Nara-kun." That was probably the best I could hope for. I had learn to be grateful for the small things.

An hour and two other messages later, I came back to hear that Shikaku had left to find one of his best friends, Akimichi Chouza. That was good news. Chouza was relatively easy to find, contrary to Yamanaka Inoichi who spent most of his time in restricted areas. It was too early for dinner so my best bet was the training grounds: the tenth was Team Chouza's favorite.

Bingo. The genin were sparing while the two jounin sat together under a tree. Carefully running around the area to avoid the fight, I jumped down from a tree and landed on one knee in front of Shikaku. He gave me a lazy glance as I raised a scroll in front of me.

"From Yoshino-san, Nara-san."

"Of course," he sighed, "who else would bother me on my day off?"

I refrained from answering as he accepted the message. I removed my tasks scroll from my obi and offered it to him next. He opened it to find his name and added his chakra to the ink, to prove that he had received the scroll.

"You've got to be kidding me," he grumbled when he read the note " _reply requested_ ".

Chouza laughed. "She knows you wouldn't read it immediately otherwise."

With another sigh, Shikaku opened the message and read it. I stayed still, on bent knee. I wouldn't do it in front of everyone, it was a tiring position, but they were two jounin, clan heirs and war heroes _._ They were also some of my favorite characters from the manga I remembered.

Chouza bellowed, calling an end to the spar going on behind me. I could hear footsteps coming toward us. One of them was louder than the others. They probably didn't have the same skill.

"Who is that?" One of them asked rudely as he stopped on my right.

I glanced at him from the corner of my eyes. Sunglasses. Bandana. Sneer. I recognized him as a minor character from the manga, one of the annoying ones. I didn't remember his name.

"One of our fellow genin!" Another cried out. This one was unforgettable, and I already knew he was part of Team Chouza. Gai was as loud as a pre-teen than he would be as an adult.

The other snorted scornfully as he pushed his glasses up his nose. "Genin corps."

No-name immediately went on my shit list. Anyone looking down on the Genin corps annoyed me, but the genin from the Jounin path were even worse. Despite the fact that we had the same rank, they looked down on us and thought they could order us around.

"A hard-worker!" Gai retorted, immediately going down on one knee by my side and giving me one of his sparkling smiles. "I'm Maito Gai! And who might you be, genin-san?"

He was way too close for comfort. I gently pushed on his nose with a forefinger to get some space. "Kamizuki Maiko. Please, respect personal space, Gai-san."

He scrambled backwards. "Of course, Maiko-san! My apologies!"

"Here," Shikaku interrupted, holding up the reply he had been writing. "She's probably still in the office for half an hour. Make sure she gets it before she leaves or I won't hear the end of it."

"Yes, Nara-san." I bowed my head respectfully and stood up. Finally turning around, I noticed the third genin, a little older than the two others with a bandana and a senbon between his teeth. I didn't remember his name either but he wasn't looking at me with scorn, just disinterest. I bowed politely and took my leave.

Yoshino-san was a hard-worker. She didn't leave the office early but she was always pleased by promptness. She valued the work of the Genin Corps when it was well done. She was the kind of people that I wanted to please.

oOo

I was extremely excited to get a message for Namikaze Minato. I never met him before and he had a reputation in the Genin Corps for being the kindest jounin you could hope for, always considerate and willing to help.

It was time for lunch; so my first try was, of course, Ichiraku Ramen. Luck was on my side.

"Excuse me, Namizake-san?" I said as I walked inside, interrupting a conversation.

Five faces turned to me as I spoke: three genin, a man and a woman.

Minato swallowed his noodles and smiled at me. "Yes?"

"A message for you from Nara Shikaku," I explained automatically, too focused on his smile and… just… him.

It was a strange experience to meet those who used to be 2D drawings or, at best, 2D animations in a manga style (so, far from being realistic), and to discover what they looked like in real life. Sometimes, the transition was disappointing (Inoichi came to mind, mostly because those pupil-less eyes were unsettling), and sometimes it was an improvement.

Minato… I was expecting to be disappointed: how could his pretty face be real? Never mind how. It was. And my friends in the Genin Corps? They were right. His smile was the best thing I had ever seen.

Great. So, he was the first crush of my second life. Alright. No big deal! That was just the Yondaime. Having a crush on him was probably a given.

Dammit, I wasn't even that fond of blondes…

From habit, I had offered the scroll as I spoke instead of staying still like a fool as I dissolved in a puddle of goo. It didn't stop me from staring though, and the ninja in training didn't miss that.

"Psst, staring is rude," the dark-haired one whispered as his sensei focused on reading the scroll.

"Idiot. Pointing it out is just as rude," the silver-haired one replied at the same time as the brown-haired girl scolded "Obito."

Only self-consciousness stopped me from face-palming. Thanks guys. Very tactful.

"Everyone stares at the Yellow Flash, anyway," Hatake Kakashi muttered.

"It's not that," I babbled, impulsively wanting to defend myself, although I knew it would have been quicker and simpler to stay quiet. I always stayed quiet when someone tried to needle me. Yet, I couldn't let Minato think that I was just gawking (even if I was…).

"Isn't it?" The woman on Minato's right side asked, clearly amused. Uzumaki Kushina was the kind to make fun of everything until she lost her temper. She liked to make fun of genin messengers (not in a mean way, like some, but it was still not funny, whatever she might think) and was oblivious to them when she decided to rant and grouse. At least, she had enough self-control to never hurt innocent bystanders when she blew up, but still, I was wary of her.

I decided that being partly truthful was my best option. "Namikaze-san has a good reputation in the Genin Corps," I admitted in a soft tone as I removed my tasks scroll from my obi to give it to the recipient of the message.

Minato-san stopped pretending he couldn't hear what was going around him (he was probably embarrassed, he seemed like a modest man) and blinked at me curiously. "I do?"

"Yes," I confirmed, hoping I could just get away with that.

The Red Hot-Blooded Habanero wouldn't let it happen, of course. She leaned forward eagerly. "What kind of reputation?"

I blushed despite myself and shifted from one foot to another. When no help came to save me from the question, I said: "As the kindest jounin."

Minato-san blinked then smiled softly.

"What? That's it?" Kushina-san huffed, clearly disappointed that she didn't get something funny out of it.

I refrained from glaring at her but I retorted: "Kindness is important."

Kakashi snorted. "We're shinobi. What good does it do?"

"It makes the difference between what I'd do for you and what I'd do for Namizake-san. In your case, the minimum required by professionalism and in his case a favor just because he'd ask nicely," I replied sharply.

Obito snickered loudly.

His sensei tried to cut the meeting short by giving me back my task scroll imbued with his chakra. "What's your name?"

"Kamizuki Maiko."

"Thank you then, Kamizuki-kun."

I bowed my head politely.

"Hey, hey. Since you're a messenger, can you tell my grandmother I'll be late?" Obito piped up before I could leave.

I gritted my teeth, annoyed by his presumptuousness.

"Idiot. The courier service is for professional use only, and you have to be a chuunin to use it anyway," Kakashi replied before anyone else could.

"Damn," Obito whined, "stop reminding me of your rank, asshole! I'll be there soon and then nothing will stop me from becoming Hokage!"

I clenched my jaw a little more to stop myself from making a comment about his future. That wouldn't go well.

"She is more likely to become jounin before that happens, idiot," Kakashi replied as he pointed at me with his thumb over his shoulder.

Were they trying to get on my nerve on purpose or what? "Actually," I chimed in before this could turn into a verbal fight, "I plan to become the Hokage's assistant, hopefully the Yondaime's. **That** is indeed more likely to happen."

All eyes turned on me with various feelings.

"That's a very specific goal," Kushina pointed out, amused.

I shrugged. This was my new plan. It had taken months for me to come to the conclusion that if I wanted to be useful, I needed to be in the Hokage's entourage, and only the assistant position was within my reach as a member of the Genin Corps. It wouldn't be easy but I had to believe that I'll manage to climb the ladder… someday. Hopefully, before the Yondaime passed away, whenever that happened to be.

"Why?" Minato-san asked curiously.

"The Hokage cares for the village. Someone has to care for the Hokage in return."

"That's not what an assistant does," Kakashi said.

"That's what I'll do. So, please, remember me when you'll be in office, Yondaime-sama." I bowed to the waist in front of Namikaze Minato, ignored Kushina choking on her ramen and ran away.

It was too early. His name had barely been mentioned as a potential successor to the Sandaime, but it didn't matter.

oOo

There were few people who cared about the Genin Corps. To be part of it gave me an unique point of view that could be summed up by this great quote: " _If you want to know what a man is like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals._ "

The kind of treatments we could expect was mostly indifference, as if we were transparent or, at best, robots. Disdain was also very popular. The worst was abuse, in its many forms.

I had big hopes for many characters I remembered from the manga. That was silly of me. Hoping for anything in an universe as ruthless as the shinobi world was just waiting for disillusionment.

Only one of them never disappointed me.

Namikaze Minato.

For him, I tried my best to change the future, despite thinking it was a lost cause. Somehow, it worked… a little.

oOo Bonus - Minato's PoV oOo

"Minato-san! I didn't see you since Chouza's last birthday," Kuma said as he looked away from his genin troops' workout to face the newcomer. "What can I do for you?"

"Hello, Kuma-san," the jounin replied with a smile. He stopped by the Akimichi's side to glance outside the window at the rows of young teenagers doing push-ups. He barely needed a few seconds to find the one he was looking for. She didn't have any remarkable features, but her appearance was perfectly tidy and she trained without pause. She wasn't the fastest of the bunch, but she didn't need to stop to catch her breath. She was perfectly steady. "I'm curious about one of your wards."

"Ah, is that so? Let me guess. Kamizuki Maiko."

"She stands out?"

"You bet," Kuma said, crossing his arms and staring at the girl in the second row. "The Academy system fucked up with this one. I read her file – usually I never do, too many kids, not enough time. She's supposed to be average. That's not an average brain, let me tell you; too mature and smart. She understands how things work and she uses it to her advantage. She'll reach the Chuunin Corps faster than any other kid. Too bad she'll be stuck there. She'll get frustrated eventually, then she'll either quit when she'll get her hands on a smart elite shinobi worth her time or she'll become one of those bitter chuunin around whom you have to thread carefully."

Minato hummed in acknowledgement. "Don't you think there are some challenges to be found in the Chuunin Corps?"

Kuma snorted. "Name one."

"To be assistant of the Hokage?"

Kuma glanced at him with a raised eyebrow. "No assistants ever came from the Chuunin Corps."

"But in theory they could be?"

"In theory, yeah... and I guess that would fit her, but which Hokage would take such a decision instead of grabbing the first elite shinobi they trust and wasting their talents?"

"Which one, indeed," Minato murmured.

Kuma whistled and the genin changed position for crunches. As they did, Minato was able to see Maiko's face. He committed it to memory. He had a hunch that she was the kind of people you should get on your side. She certainly left a lasting impression.

* * *

 _Expect a time skip in the next chapter. I'll come back on the interesting parts of her younger years with flashbacks if necessary. In the meantime, what did you think of this first chapter and what do you look forward to the most?_

 _Edit on 30th of July 2017: Bonus added._


	2. The Second Assistant

**6 years later - Maiko is 16**

Little feet put on a sprint past my desk.

An average kunoichi I might be, but the day a three-years-old boy managed to beat me was the day I really needed to resign.

I caught Naruto by the back of his shirt before he could reach the first assistant's desk and hauled him up on my hip. "Good morning Naruto-kun. Are you trying to avoid me? I'm hurt, really, I thought you and I were friends."

The boy giggled and threw his arms around my neck. "'lo Maiko-san! I wanna see tou-chan!"

"I'm afraid you've to wait, Naruto-kun. Hokage-sama is in a meeting right now."

Naruto pouted. "How long?"

"At least twenty minutes, sweetheart." I prepared for the inevitable by tilting my ear as far away as possible from his mouth.

"NoooOOOOOooooo!"

It didn't lessen the pain much and I winced at the scream. Nonetheless, I went back to sit at my desk. "Do you want me to play with you?"

"No! You're mean Maiko-san! You always stop me from seeing tou-chan!"

I adjusted him on my lap and held back a sigh, conscious that everyone around was intently focused on us, whether they were showing it or not.

Raidou and Genma were leaning against the wall on each side of the Hokage's office door, not bothering to hide their attention since they had nothing else to do.

The first assistant, Haruka, was working on paperwork, but she wasn't missing a word. If Naruto decided to come talk to her, she would be all smile, ready to commiserate with the Hokage's son now that her underling had done the hard work by telling him "no".

On the chairs, several people waiting to be seen by the Hokage were watching avidly for gossip.

Then, there was Hatake Kakashi, Naruto's sitter for the day, who was leaning against the wall near the entrance, his face hidden behind his book. He never kept the kid in check, preferring to let him bother the secretaries and get some peace.

So, of course, I ended up being the bad guy, because I was at the bottom of the ladder and the dirty work was always for me. (Yes, I was bitter. I had a rough day, alright?)

Oh, Naruto didn't mean anything by it. He changed his mind every hour. Still, it didn't make it any easier to hear.

"What would you like to do in the meantime, then?" I asked patiently, taking back my pen from his tiny hand.

There were a few seconds of silence before he exclaimed: "Work! If I do dad's work then he'll have more time for me!" And he grabbed the nearest paper, wrinkling it while he was at it.

I refrained from pointing out that it was _my_ work on _my_ desk (the Hokage didn't need to do his own schedule: that's why he had assistants) and that, by trying to help, Naruto would just make it slower. Experience taught me to just go along with it. The logic he showed was already an improvement. "Alright then, Naruto-kun. I have a very important task for you. Please stamp those for me. Do you remember how?"

"Yeah! I have to do it once only but I have to press on it so it's _really_ red."

"That's right," I approved before putting a stack of papers in front of him, red ink and a stamp marked "Hokage's office - DENIED".

Five minutes later, I changed the stack of papers and the stamp for "Hokage's office - TO BE REVISED". My desk was shaking as he worked. I was reading scrolls and papers by holding them above his head.

The Jounin Commander finally left the Hokage's office, and Kakashi stepped forward to retrieve his ward. Focused on his work, Naruto hadn't even noticed the open door waiting for him.

"Your father will see you now, Naruto-kun," I said.

Immediately, the little hellion bolt from my lap, managing to hit me in the calf with his heel. "Daaaaad!" He screamed, all the way to the office. Kakashi followed leisurely without even a word to me but a nod to both guards at the door.

I sighed quietly and grabbed a handful of files. A few moments of peace and solitude away from my desk sounded extremely tempting right now.

The hallway to the archives was on the right side of the Hokage's office. I passed by the guards to access it. Genma gave me a knowing smile, his senbon tilting up and down as he spoke: "Need some quiet, uh?"

"My ears are still buzzing," I replied good-naturedly. It's not that I didn't like kids, on the contrary, but in my previous life those I was familiar with were a little older. I had been a teacher not a nanny. While in this life, apart from my cousin, I hadn't met many of them, at least not that weren't already ninjas in training. Childhood was different in this world.

Genma chuckled and slouched a bit more, folding a leg to lean a foot against the wall. The damn man was just twenty years old and he managed a laid-back attitude which, combined with his good looks and his sense of humor, earned him many conquests. He was also friendly. I might have been invisible to him when I was in the Genin Corps but, as soon as I started working as the Hokage's assistant, I was eligible for his amicable banter. I sometimes wondered if it came from the fact that he was the most sociable of the Hokage's Guard Platoon and as such made it his duty to ensure a good relationship with the Hokage's assistants, or if it was because we had both grown up and he had taken note of my womanly assets. Maybe both.

I worked peacefully in the archives, filing away the denied requests. Then I caught sight of a clock and was reminded of one of my duties as a gofer. When I passed by the guards once again, I asked: "Can I bring you something?"

"Coffee sounds good to me. Raidou?" Genma turned to his friend. The quiet guard nodded in agreement.

"Two coffees coming up. Haruka-san, tea?"

"Yes," the secretary replied without looking up.

It took me ten minutes to come back with two cups of tea and two of coffee. By that time, Naruto and Kakashi had left, leaving the door open.

I put down Haruka's cup (black tea, no sugar, as bitter as her heart) on her empty desk before raising up the tray for the guards. Both of them thanked me as they accepted their drink, but Genma smiled when he tasted his. While Raidou liked his coffee black, without flourishes, Genma required cream and honey but _just so_. It was a small victory to get his drink right… and it was pathetic that _this_ felt like an accomplishment.

I stepped into the Hokage's office to find Haruka speaking to the Yondaime about "guests". I put down the last cup (green tea and honey) where I could find a free space beside an inkwell. He gave me a smile, distracted but as warm as ever.

I was turning around when I finally understood which guests they were talking about. Kumo's envoy for the peace treaty!

Shit! I thought I had more time before he arrived.

Thankfully, the scroll was ready. I had already written down what I could remember from the Hyuuga affair. Now, I just needed to find a good moment for the drop. The agitation due to the preparations should give me an opportunity.

oOo

Two days later, the Hokage had left his office with his Guard Platoon and Haruka on his heels. They were to inspect the accommodations for the envoy. It was late in the afternoon. No-one was waiting for the Yondaime. The hallway was empty. Perfect.

Aware that some ANBU always lurked around, I was careful to look as busy and casual as usual. I grabbed the pile of documents needing the Hokage's attention, walked to his office's door and poured some chakra in the seal to disable the security. I went to his desk and put down the documents on his "to be processed" stack, making sure that the damn scroll was right in the middle of the pile and not on top. I didn't linger. I walked out and switched back on the security seal. I calmly went back to my desk. By the time I was done with my shift, the Hokage wasn't back.

I made sure to follow my usual routine after work. In a shinobi village, there was a thin limit between paranoia and prudence. Considering what I knew about what was lingering in the shadows of Konoha (even if all of my knowledge wasn't perfectly accurate anymore), I liked to err on the side of caution.

As such, I made my way to my neighborhood and stopped by my aunt's house. My cousin, Izumo, was gone on a mission with his genin team. I always ate diner with my aunt when that was the case. I kept her company and in exchange I didn't have to cook after a long day at work. Sometimes I even slept there but not tonight. I didn't want to involve my aunt if something happened. Better safe than sorry.

It was late in the evening when I made my way to my apartment, a street farther. My home wasn't much: I only needed a bedroom and a decent living room with kitchen included. It was small but clean.

I went to sleep in my best pyjamas (again, you never knew, but there was no way I was going to appear in front of the Hokage in a nightshirt), but in the end I wasn't dragged out of my bed in the middle of the night. I chose to take it as a good sign.

When I arrived at work in the morning, holding back a yawn since I had difficulties to fall and stay asleep, Tatami Iwashi was on guard duty with Raidou.

He gestured for me to come forward. "The Hokage wants to speak with you."

Moment of truth, here I came…

"Good morning Maiko-san," the Yondaime started pleasantly. He wasn't alone. The Jounin Commander was sitting on a corner of the desk and staring at me with half-closed lids.

I bowed respectfully. "Hokage-sama. Shikaku-san."

When I straightened, the Yondaime was showing me a scroll with a red seal. _The_ scroll.

"Yesterday evening, you brought me some papers. This was with them, was it not?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama. Sealed for your eyes only but tested by your threats detection seal, as per protocol."

Nara Shikaku asked: "Who gave it to you?"

"A genin courrier, Shikaku-san."

"Could you identify him?" The jounin asked, clearly expecting it to be difficult.

"I can give you his name. Sugawara Aoi."

The Yondaime smiled at me, aware of my close ties with the Genin Corps. It had been one of his reasons to hire me as second assistant. "Thank you Maiko-san, that will be all."

"At your command, Hokage-sama." I bowed again and went to work.

Half an hour later, Sugawara Aoi left the Yondaime's office despite the fact I hadn't seen him come in. Summoned by ANBU then. The poor boy certainly seemed cowed by his interview with our leader. I would have to apologize discreetly somehow. Some advice the next time he came to deliver a message would do.

I focused back on my work, confident in the fact that the scroll would be untraceable. I had dropped it in one of the administration mailboxes. Aoi had no-one to describe, which left no trail to follow even for the two geniuses in the next room.

The trepidation which bothered me every time I made such a drop slowly ebb away.

This was my fourth time interfering with the timeline. The first time, I had failed in changing anything: Obito had been announced KIA. The second time, Nohara Rin was saved from becoming a jinchuriki and getting herself killed. The third time, I saved Minato-sama… but not his wife.

I had managed all of those before I became the Yondaime's secretary. It had been easier to do this time but also riskier: I had never been in contact with the scrolls in public view before.

The results, as variable as they were, were worth the risks. So many lives had been spared, especially during the night of Naruto's birth.

With a little luck, the Hyuuga would be safe too.

oOo

They were.

I wasn't aware of the details but the kidnapping attempt had been thwarted. Kumo's envoy had gotten his knuckles rapped and left with the peace treaty signed.

Perfect success!

Quite pleased, I offered myself a little treat: a new grey kimono blouse, with a green obi and a lower cut than what I was used to. The green leaves embroidered on the edges were lovely (and pricey).

Haruka took a look at me and commented: "You remind me of Tsunade-sama."

I froze, remembering the few glimpses of the Sannin I had gotten as a child. Her cleavage was… memorable, and the reactions she got from men about it just as much so. Somberly, I glanced down. I had generous breasts, that was true, but nothing compared to Tsunade's legendary bosom. Still, I wouldn't be able to think about anything else when I put on this blouse, now. I'm sure that was Haruka's intent: when I muttered "I'll change tomorrow," she nodded with a "that would be better."

Great. I really shouldn't have bother spending so much of my savings on that blouse.

I was sulking when I passed by the Hokage's door and Genma chose this moment to appear for the first time this morning.

He glanced at me, smiled, and then did a double take at my blouse. "That's new, and pretty."

"Thanks," I grumbled. "I won't wear it again." As a matter of fact, I was putting on a green haori (unconsciously making the resemblance with Tsunade's outfit even greater). I closed it over my cleavage.

Genma made some noise, but I was already steps away and didn't stop.

The archives were one of my favorite places at work. Silence, solitude and information. Just everything I needed most of the time.

"Hey."

I startled and slammed the drawer shut.

Genma was leaning with a shoulder against the lockers. He smiled at me impishly.

I huffed. "Don't do that, you annoying ghost."

He chuckled but didn't apologize. "Iwashi told me what Haruka-san said. Don't worry about it, it looks good on you."

I shrugged and walked to the next drawer I had to go through. "She thinks it's unprofessional."

He followed. "She's just jealous."

That was entirely possible – Haruka was rather flat-chested – but that wasn't the point. "Maybe, but she's still my manager. I don't need her to be more unpleasant than usual."

"So you won't wear it again because she doesn't like it?"

"Not at work, at least," I replied before adding distractedly, in a low voice: "Considering our work hours and my nonexistent social life, that doesn't leave many opportunities."

"I see your point. Uniforms take most of my closet."

"Bandanas included, I suppose?"

"Of course. They're indispensable."

"Any of them aren't plain navy?"

"You'll have to check yourself," he replied cheekily. I knew it wasn't an invitation, just the way he liked to tease all his friends. I had overheard him bantering like this with Raidou and Iwashi, and while Genma was bisexual, the other guards weren't (at least Iwashi wasn't, he had been clear about it, Raidou… maybe).

I glanced at him and his mischievous smirk then looked down to the files with a lopsided smile. "Thanks."

"What for?"

"For coming here and lifting my spirits," I replied as I closed the drawer and walked past him. "I appreciate it."

"My pleasure."

oOo

Genma was even more friendly after that. Every time I changed my hairstyle, my clothes or jewellery (which was admittedly not often), he noticed and complimented me. When he was bored on guard duty, he came to sit on the corner of my desk for small talk.

Of course, people noticed.

Haruka made sure to tell me everything she knew about Genma's affairs, just in case I got ideas about how special I was. I never realized what a queen of gossip she was before that. It was useful for the Hokage I supposed: she could tell him if anything important happened to his shinobi. I bet that's how she rationalized it anyway. She definitely looked proud of knowing everything about everyone. People coming from the Intelligence Division were a little creepy like that.

Personally, I definitely didn't need to know every detail of Genma's love life like it was a sitcom. After a month of this, I gave in.

"Haruka-san!" I interrupted her loudly. It was early in the morning, the hallway was empty except for us. The guards were speaking with the Hokage in his office, the door closed. "Haruka-san," I repeated more calmly when she gawked at me, shocked that I dared interrupt her so rudely. "While I appreciate what you're trying to do, Genma-san is just a friend and I am… uncomfortable hearing about his private life from a third party, so if you could please… refrain from sharing these details with me, I'd be grateful."

She stared at me, apparently intent on reading my mind (she liked to say that she had Yamanaka blood but, if it was true, it was much too diluted, she had neither their peculiar eyes nor their light hair) before nodding her head. "Very well. If you understood, I'll consider the matter closed."

Yes! Peace, at least!

Haruka was condescending, but she recognized I wasn't an idiot about a month after I started working for her. Since then our collaboration was much easier, as long as I was properly respectful.

oOo

Two hours later, I was bringing a tray of drinks from the break room when Genma appeared at the top of the stairs with his hands in his pockets.

"I heard you asked Haruka-san to stop harassing you with my love life? I'm disappointed, I made sure to make it as eventful as possible just for you."

I froze and gaped at him. "You did all that on purpose?!"

"Well, yeah. You don't seriously believe I spend all my evenings doing sexy drinking games, do you?"

"I thought Haruka-san was exaggerating."

"Nope, all true. Staged but true. I had help from friends. We had fun."

I reached his level, but I was still staring at him, wide-eyed. "You're shameless."

He smirked, his eyes sparkling mischievously. "Maybe. Or I'm really bored and messing with Haruka-san and her informants was a good way to pass the time. Raidou and Iwashi also had great fun listening to your little talks. Raidou says your poker face improved quite a lot."

"Oh Kami," I breathed, flabbergasted, "I had to listen to all that just because you and your friends wanted to have some fun?!" In a huff, I walked past him.

"It was really good fun, Maiko-chan. It did wonders for my social life and those of many jounin and tokubetsu jounin, let me tell you. Kakashi for example wa–"

"Oh, then if you had fun, that's all that matters!" I hissed sarcastically, now fuming. For weeks I had been worried by this breach of his privacy and it was just a game for him. Beyond the anger, I was embarrassed for thinking that he and the other guards had been unaware of Haruka's gossip. I had naively thought that if they had known they would have put an end to it – and put me out of my misery. Unfortunately, nothing was ever so simple with shinobi.

Genma stepped in my way. "Mai–"

I sidestepped him with a graceful pirouette without disturbing the cups. "Excuse me, Genma-san, the Hokage awaits his tea." I tried to keep my voice perfectly professional but, considering the looks I got, I probably missed and made it a little too sharp or icy.

When I came closer to the Hokage's office, Iwashi hastily opened the door for me, although he was looking at Genma past my shoulder with an air that said "dude, you fucked up, I'm not going down with you."

"Ah, Maiko-san, excellent timing," Minato-sama said as I put down cups and a teapot in front of him and his guest, Uchiha Fugaku. "Could you– Is everything alright?"

I relaxed my facial expression and smiled. Thankfully, his good mood and kindness were so contagious that it wasn't very difficult to do. "Of course, Hokage-sama. How may I help you?"

"I need some files from the archives."

He gave me a piece of paper with the appropriate references and I bowed. "Right away, Hokage-sama."

Without surprise, Genma followed me to the archives. "You're pissed."

"No, you think?!" I replied venomously as I slammed my hand and chakra against the security seal **.**

"We weren't making fun of you, Maiko-chan, just of Haruka-san and her gossip mongers."

I walked into the room and waited for the door to close behind him before replying: "I don't care what your goal was! Do you know how I felt each day, listening to her going on in details about your private life?"

"If it bothered you so much, why didn't you stop her sooner?"

"Because she's my boss!" I shouted, hitting him in the arm with the empty tray I was still holding.

Genma was so surprised by my outburst that he took it with barely a grunt.

"Seriously, you, jounin and tokubetsu, you're all the same! You expect to be treated with respect and deference, but you fail to grasp exactly how far it has to go. Last time, with the blouse, you thought less of me because I chose to do as she asked and never wore it again at work. Don't even bother denying it!" I shouted at him, pointing a finger at his face when his senbon shifted. "You're so privileged that you're blind to how things work for most shinobi, Genma-san. My work here, it might not seem much to the elite, but it's a dream come true and not an everlasting one. Do you know how many members of the Genin Corps ever managed to end up working in the Hokage Office? One! I'm the first! One word from Haruka-san and I can be sent back to the Chuunin Corps roster for an endlessly boring career. So yes, I'd rather suck it up than let that happen. How shocking that some people don't have the opportunity to put their pride and self-respect or–or their fucking _amusement_ above everything else!"

Exhausted by my tirade, I breathed heavily, glaring at Genma and his stupidly impassive face.

"The Hokage won't let her fire you just for speaking your mind," he replied confidently.

I snorted and shook my head. "I love the Hokage," I admitted as I turned away, "but I'm perfectly aware of my own importance and its lack there of. That's one of the first lessons the Genin Corps teach you." I walked to the next drawer and didn't look back.

Genma didn't follow. I thought he had left without a word, but after a few seconds he said "I'm sorry", and the door finally closed.

I leaned over the drawer I had opened and rubbed my face tiredly. This morning had started so well...

oOo

When I left the Hokage tower after work that evening, Genma was leaning against a wall and casually fell into step by my side when I passed by. I stopped and tilted my head in his direction with a raised eyebrow.

His senbon was quickly moving up and down, a sign of nervousness. "My sensei was an Akimichi. When we fucked up, we had to pay a meal for the team. So… tomorrow, we have both the day off... do you want to go at that new tea house you wanted to try? My treat."

"The one with the crepes?"

He smirked, knowing he had me hooked. "Yeah."

Damn, five weeks of friendship and he already knew one of my weaknesses. I shifted my weight from one feet to the other before nodding. "As friends, right?"

"Yeah." Encouraged by my tacit agreement, Genma stepped forward. "Do you forgive me?"

"I will if the crepes are as good as they say," I replied with a lopsided smile.

His lips stretched into a grin and his shoulders relaxed slightly. "See you tomorrow."

I watched him leave thoughtfully. Genma was sweet and handsome. If we weren't working so closely together, I had no doubt that we would have already ended up tangled in bed. That was his modus operandi, and I could have been convinced of allowing it.

However, since we were seeing each other every day, we were both aware that it would be a bad idea. We didn't need any drama in the Hokage office, especially me. I wasn't going to let anything compromise my position.

There was too much at stake and I wasn't really a _sixteen_ years old girl after all! If you counted everything, I was past forty! … Oh... Let's not think about that too much, right? That way just lied headaches.

oOo Bonus - Genma's PoV oOo

Genma stepped into the ANBU headquarters and immediately went to find his best friend. Raidou was playing cards with Kakashi and some others. Genma ignored everyone else and grabbed Raidou's shoulder. "I fucked up. Maiko-chan is mad at me."

"You told her about you messing with Haruka-san, didn't you?" Raidou guessed without looking away from his hand – he had a bad one.

"Yeah. I know, you told me she wouldn't like it, and you were right! Happy? Tell me how to sort this out." Genma removed his senbon from his lips before he would cut his tongue on it in his agitation. He had a reputation as a smooth talker, but when he messed up with someone important to him, he tended to lose his composure and needed some coaching to avoid making things any worse. Raidou was terrible at socializing but good with theoretical advice.

"Apologize."

"I did that!"

"Does this mean our plans for tonight are canceled?" Kakashi asked nonchalantly while putting down a card who made everyone else groan in distaste.

"Yes," Genma hissed. He met Kakashi's languorous eye, winced and back-pedaled: "No. Just... Let's go to your flat instead of the bar."

"Fine with me," Kakashi agreed.

"Buy her something to apologize. Flowers or a meal, something like that," Raidou said while throwing his cards on the table in defeat.

"Flowers? How bold. Do you have a crush on the assistant, Genma?" The only girl of the group asked with a grin.

"Meal it is," Genma concluded and left the room without waiting.

Raidou followed suit and stopped him in the middle of the hall by catching his elbow. "Hey. It will be fine, alright? She isn't the type to hold a grudge if you apologize properly." He was aware that his friend was getting quite fond of Maiko. This meant more to him than a simple relationship between coworkers.

"Yeah... Yeah, you are right."

"There is something else," Raidou guessed.

"She said something," Genma admitted before relating the discussion he had with Maiko. "Is it true do you think. Am I privileged?"

Raidou tilted his head and gave him a telling look. "Who was your jounin sensei? Who is your direct superior? How much do you earn each month?"

"A noble clan head. The Hokage. Probably twice as much as she does," Genma replied before sighing and nodding. "Yeah, I see your point, but it feels wrong you know, the way she sees herself and her importance?"

"She went through the Genin Corps," Raidou pointed out as they made their way toward the Hokage's office. "That leaves its mark."

"Still... I'll mention it to the Yondaime."

"You might be sticking your nose in where it's not wanted."

"Then I'll apologize again and buy her another meal," Genma decided with a shrug, pressing his lips around his senbon now that he was more composed.

Raidou shook his head in exasperation. When his friend had something in mind, it was no use trying to convince him otherwise. He had tried. "Just be aware that everyone will ask why the parties are canceled and I'm not dealing with it." He ignored the pleading look Genma sent him. "No. Your idea. Your mess."

* * *

 _Thank you for your support everyone (thanks to_ _ **Fool'sTutor** in particular, that was a very nice review, but I can't reply to you)! I'm glad you liked the Genin Corps approach and I hope you'll approve of this timeskip. _

_**NB:** The timeline of the Naruto universe, as a rule, is a mess. If you take a look at Tatami Iwashi in the Naruto Wiki, you'll see that considering his age he's supposed to have been 10/11 yo when he became a bodyguard of the Yondaime. Since that doesn't make any sense at all, for this story, I'll consider him nine years older. Right now, he's 23 when Genma is 20 and Raidou 22. _

_Edit 29th of July 2017: Bonus added._


	3. Promotions and Pies

It was early February. The weather was cold and windy. With my cheeks and nose hidden by a long, white and fluffy scarf, I rubbed my gloved hands together.

If Genma pulled a Kakashi and made me wait for him, I wasn't going to stay outside with this cold. I would get my crepes with or—

"Nice scarf."

I started and turned around to hit the asshole who suddenly appeared behind me. "Show-off," I grumbled good-naturedly when he caught my wrist before it connected with his arm.

Genma chuckled and adjusted his hold from my wrist to my shoulders to drag me inside the tea house. "Darling, I'll use all the tricks I know if it means I can admire you without being hit more than once a week. You already had your shot yesterday." A waitress stepped forward. He asked: "A table for two, please. The one near the window at the back looks great."

I barely had time to notice the vegetal ambiance of the place that Genma had already grasped the spatial organization of the room. I supposed that was the difference between a special jounin and a member of the genin corps, or between a bodyguard and a secretary.

The furniture was traditional. After removing our coats, we sat on cushions at a low table with one side against a big window. Ferns and bushes were growing in a garden on the other side. It was a really nice view.

After our order, I looked around more curiously. "I really like it here. Thanks for bringing me." I didn't mention that it was too expensive for me to try it casually, but I didn't doubt that Genma had gathered as much. Apart from a few blanks in his view of the world, he was smart enough.

"My pleasure. Those pumpkin crepes look really good."

"That's a curious choice. Do you have a secret weakness for pumpkin?"

"Yes. It's not much of a secret though. My mom makes a really great pumpkin broth."

"Is that so? I'm not overfond of soups, but I like pumpkin purée or pumpkin pie."

"Pie?"

This world, just like Japan, wasn't used to pies. It had been the first thing I had changed in my diet when I started to cook. The recipe for a good crust dough had needed a few tries, but I felt much better since I had it. Food always made the nostalgia stronger and the culture difference more obvious.

"Now I want to try it," Genma grumbled, leaning against the window, a leg folded vertically and the other horizontally.

"When is your birthday? I'll make it for you then."

"It's in July, in five months!"

"Oh, what a shame."

"Come on, darling, don't do that to me," he whined. "That's just teasing. I'm buying you crepes, aren't I?"

"As an apology," I reminded him. "And buying something is not the same as taking time to do something."

"Alright then, ask me for something."

I raised an eyebrow, surprised by the offer.

"I'm always serious about pumpkin," he replied to my silent question.

I chuckled and thought it through. "Training."

His senbon went from pointing down to pointing up to show his surprise. "That would be fine, darling," he said carefully, "but I'm not sure–"

"Not for me," I interrupted with a wave of my hand. "I know you'll be bored in five minutes. For my cousin… and his best friend because they're stuck to the hip, really. They're going to participate in the Chuunin exams in Suna. It's their second time, but their sensei was hurt during their last mission. Apparently it's bad, and he's on the good drugs so unable to help. I heard about it this morning from two whining limpets on my couch."

Genma considered it thoughtfully. "Names?"

"Kamizuki Izumo and Hagane Kotetsu. They're fourteen. Their other teammate passed in the last exam."

Our orders arrived. We stopped speaking to taste the delicious and long-awaited crepes. Mine was filled with apples and topped by chocolate sauce and whipped cream. His had the same toppings with pumpkin filling.

"This is delicious," I mumbled between mouthfuls.

"Yeah." Genma agreed before pointing his fork at me. "Fine, I'll give your cousin and his friend a try, but your pumpkin pie better be worth it. I'm no sensei."

"Shame. You'd be a great one, I'm sure. Just give them a few tips on what to improve and how. They need some pointers and directions to nudge them on the right track. I already promised to train with them, to give them an opponent they aren't used to, but I don't have the experience of what they'll go through."

Genma twirled his fork between his fingers as he chewed his food and stared at me, contemplative. "So, it's true that you got a field promotion?"

"Yes."

"At thirteen, by stopping a jounin infiltrator?"

I snorted. "I don't know his rank, but I doubt he was a full jounin. A tokubetsu maybe, at best, and his specialization wasn't combat."

He wasn't going to ask – it was frowned upon to ask for war stories – but his interest was obvious and I supposed that training Izumo and Kotetsu was a bigger favor than baking a pumpkin pie.

So, I remembered…

o

… _I had been in the Genin Corps for three years. The sabotage of Kannabi bridge had happened eight months ago. The failed attempt at kidnapping Rin was a few weeks old. Iwa had signed a peace treaty and Kiri_ – _after angering The Yellow Flash by targeting his student and gotten their ass kicked_ – _had also asked for a truce. Kumo was now the main enemy._

 _After being successful in my latest attempt to change History, I was in an excellent mood and confident that I could relax until Uzumaki Kushina showed signs of being pregnant (I was keeping an eye on her, which wasn't difficult: that woman wasn't discrete, especially around Ichiraku Ramen's stand)._

 _How naive to forget that war didn't stop at the walls of the village._

 _In the middle of my shift, during a perfectly normal day, I was running up the spiral staircase leading up to the aviary when I heard it: a scream abruptly cut off and a thump like a body falling to the ground. I froze two steps away from the door, immediately on high alert. A part of me thought I was being paranoid and listened for words that would prove this wasn't exactly what I had imagined. Nothing came. Only the loud noises of the messenger birds. Too loud. As if something bothered them._

 _I was hyperaware of my breathing and heartbeat, which suddenly seemed so loud to me that everyone around could undoubtedly hear it. I thought to go back, to alert someone higher ranked, but to tell them what? That I had heard something weird in the aviary and I was too scared to check? That would go well. I could already imagine the jeering! And if something really was wrong, calling for backup might take too much time._

 _Slowly, I walked up to the door, channeled a small hint of chakra into the hinges to stop it from creaking (a trick taught to me by an old Nara veteran hating to be disturbed during his nap) and pushed it open._

 _I immediately had the confirmation that something was wrong. One of the falconers was lying down, face to the floor, in a growing puddle of blood._

 _Seized by fear, my heartbeat quickened so much that it was deafening. Yet, I stepped forward, protected from view by a row of cages. I could hear someone moving on the circular platform._

 _I took a peek and recognized one of the other members of the Aviary staff. He was rummaging through the drawers holding the ciphers (the basic ones, the others were only known to the Cryptanalysis Team), cursing between his teeth. He didn't seem to find what he wanted and made a mess of everything. Strange for someone who should have been familiar with the place. I didn't work here, and yet I had been taught the basics._

 _I held a kunai tightly, my free hand shaking._

 _The man suddenly pulled out a paper with a noise of triumph and walked to a cage, seeming intent on sending the cipher by bird. A bird which, considering its placement in the rows, was specialized in outposts' deliveries. That was against all protocols I knew. I didn't understand what he was planning, but that cipher should never leave Konoha._

 _He opened the cage's door, his back turned to me._

 _I reacted with just a thought: stop the cipher from leaving. I sprinted to a perfectly unremarkable lever at the rows' end and pushed it down. All cages' doors opened simultaneously, an action that the birds known as an emergency evacuation protocol. They all rushed out in a deafening concert of screeches and beating wings._

 _The enemy – because that's all he could be – had turned toward me when he heard me running. He threw a kunai which barely missed me. The chaos caught him off-guard. He crouched with his arms raised to protect his head from the talons clawing at everything in their way._

 _On the other hand, I had been expecting this. I didn't miss the opportunity to pounce on him. I kicked him with all my might. He staggered and rolled away. His henge fell while he did so, showing what I already suspected: that he was an impostor, a shinobi from Kumo, no doubt._

 _Determined to keep the advantage of surprise, since that was all I had for myself, I threw shuriken and kunai at him as he withdrew, and then pounced on him with double kicks, back kicks, side kicks… Anything that could keep him down and allow me to stay at distance without giving him the occasion to grab me and bring me closer like a punch would have done. Unfortunately, I wasn't quick enough when he finally caught my ankle and sent me flying through the room._

 _I hit the open cages before falling to the ground. Despite the pain all over and the breathlessness, years of training led me to roll as I landed and immediately rose on my knees._

 _This time, he was the one pressing his advantage. I raised my forearms hastily to block a punch to my face. When a kunai came down with his other hand, I threw myself at his knees. The blade cut through my kimono blouse, down my back, along my shoulder blade, and was prevented from going too deep by my mesh armor undershirt._

 _I managed to bring him down before rolling away._

 _The pain due to the cut was sharper, compared to the dull ache of future bruises I had obtained. Lifting my arm pulled at the wound, but it wasn't a priority. I had always thought that I would freeze in a life-threatening situation. It turned out that I had some survival instinct after all and also the determination to go down fighting. I wasn't afraid of death – I already died – but I refused to waste my second life._

 _We faced each other. I hastily removed my custom weapons, two tessens, from my obi and unfolded them to catch the kunai coming at me. Blocking incoming weapons with one war fan and slashing through the air with the other to keep the twenty years old man at distance, I was entirely focused on him. When he tried to form hand seals, I rushed at him, desperate to keep him from using a jutsu. That would undoubtedly be my downfall. My ninjutsu was poor for lack of tutoring.  
_

 _He managed to avoid me with ease. My tessen barely left a trail of blood on his forearm as he dodged. He jumped away with a smirk, seeming so sure of himself that he was going to take the time to taunt me (we hadn't even exchanged one word till now). Suddenly he was thrown against the cages face first, a hand connecting harshly with the back of his neck. He was knocked out instantly._

 _I gaped as my adversary dropped to the floor at an ANBU's feet and gawked some more at the ANBU team surrounding me. I had never seen so many from so close. They were rather intimidating. After a few blinks, I squeaked a tentative "Thanks"._

 _An ANBU in full armor and cloak stepped forward. "You're the one who evacuated the birds?"_

 _I could hear them distantly over the Aviary. Dozens of birds flying around and screeching had no doubt attracted a lot of attention. That was one of the goals.  
_

" _Y-yes." I gulped and tried to catch my breath. "He tried to send a cipher to an outpost. He had an henge on before you came, as a member of the staff. When I arrived, I..." I glanced back to the lifeless body at the entrance, gripping my folded tessen tightly. "I saw something was wrong. I studied the situation, removed the risk of leak and engaged him in combat." Textbook response, really._

" _Did you see which outpost?"_

 _I blinked rapidly, turned toward the right row, then looked back from the place where I had watched it happen. As I adjusted my line of sight, I stepped forward and pointed to a cage. "This one. It's on the border with the Land of Hot Water."_

" _Well done," the leader said as one of his men retrieved the cipher from their prisoner._

 _I smiled slowly as it dawned on me that I had successfully survived an encounter with an enemy and avoided a breach of secrecy. My first feat as a kunoichi!  
_

o

"And the Hokage promoted you for service to the village," Genma concluded.

"Well, not exactly," I replied between two sips of tea. "After the debriefing, I didn't hear anything about it for two weeks. Then, suddenly, while I was in the middle of a shift at Logistical Support, an ANBU appeared to drag me to the Hokage's Office. I was dumped in front of this very imposing Inuzuka and his giant dog…"

o

" _What's that?" The Inuzuka asked with a frown._

" _The kunoichi who stopped the intruder," the Sandaime replied peacefully._

" _I didn't know she was so young. How old are you, girl? Did you just pass your chuunin exam?"_

" _I'm thirteen and a member of the Genin Corps, Inuzuka-san," I replied patiently._

 _His face did something complex, looking like a mix of constipation and disbelief. "You're kidding me. Genin Corps?" As I raised an eyebrow, he turned to the Hokage with a frown. "I can't fucking tell my squad we owe our life to a career genin!"_

 _I stopped myself from answering something nasty, but my lips curved down in displeasure._

" _Can't you?" The Hokage said placidly._

" _That's unheard of!"_

" _Would a career chuunin be better?"_

" _Fuck yes!"_

 _The Sandaime pushed a paper towards the Inuzuka who, after a glance at it, grabbed a pen and scrawled what looked like a signature in a corner, punctuating it violently._

" _There!" Inuzuka-san turned and pointed at me. "You're a chuunin! Much better! And I meant to say before that: good job, kid, and thanks for saving my team's hide. There." And he left in a rush, without even bowing to the Hokage._

 _I gaped after him then turned to the Sandaime, expecting a denial and an explanation._

 _He gave me a little smile and said: "Congratulations on your promotion, Chuunin Kamizuki, you're a credit to the Genin Corps."_

 _o_

Genma burst into laughter. "Oh, I can see it! The Sandaime tricking someone into getting you promoted!"

I smiled sheepishly. I had learned later, while speaking to the Genin Corps Commander Akimichi Kuma, that a field promotion needed at least three recommendations from high-ranking people (and, of course, the Hokage's approbation). Kuma-san had been eager to recommend me, his best pupil. One of the ANBU had probably been impressed enough to add his or her signature. The Inuzuka had been the last one.

I didn't know exactly how my intervention had saved his team (secrecy and compartmentalization of information were things you had to accept as a shinobi), but I wasn't going to nitpick about it.

"So, there you go, you know everything about my promotion…"

"Can I share it with the boys? They'll love it."

I shrugged. "It's not classified."

Genma's smile told me that he wouldn't stop at just sharing it with his teammates.

Oh, well…

oOo

The next day, I woke up before sunrise to make the blasted pie. The kids better appreciated their training session because I was making an extraordinary effort for them. I wasn't an early bird!

I arrived at work holding a dish covered with a napkin.

Genma immediately focused on it, his senbon going up and down in anticipation. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Your pie, as requested. I took the liberty to cut it so you can share it with whoever you want."

Genma eagerly accepted the dish and peeked under the napkin. "Who said I'm sharing?" He asked with a grin, perfectly aware of Raidou staring at him intently.

"I'm not taking responsibility for any squabble over a damn pie," I said with a shrug, dragging myself to my desk to sort through the incoming mail.

Several hours later, at lunch break, I stepped into the Hokage's office with his customary cup of tea to find him and his Guard Platoon eating a slice of pie.

Minato-san looked at me with a cheerful smile. "Ah, Maiko-san, I was told you're the excellent cook we have to thank for this delicacy. I hope you don't mind me helping myself to it, but I had to settle an argument between my guards."

I would have sweat-dropped if I could. "Not at all, Hokage-sama. I apologize for the disturbance."

He waved his hand. "It livens up the day."

I glanced at Genma with an exasperated expression. He smiled shamelessly.

oOo

Two days later, a pair of genin ran up to my desk like buffalos huffing and puffing. I glanced at them distractedly before going back to writing a polite letter of refusal to an invitation for the Hokage. They were covered in dirt but also grinning like fools.

"It went well, I take it?"

"Maiko-san, it was awesome!" Kotetsu breathed.

"He had great advice to offer," Izumo agreed more calmly.

"That's good. Did you behave?"

"Of course!" They replied in unison.

I nodded and finished my sentence carefully. When neither of them said anything else, I glanced at them with a raised eyebrow. They were elbowing each other.

"Nee-chan," Izumo started hesitantly. "Shiranui-san… He mentioned that he would agree to train with us again if you made your lemon meringue pie for him."

"And how did he learn about that recipe?"

Izumo coughed in his fist and admitted: "He mentioned your pumpkin pie was good. I said the lemon one was better."

I pinched my lips, thought about it and shook my head. "No."

"Come ooon, Maiko-san, please!" Kotetsu immediately whined.

"I had to wake up one hour earlier last time," I grumbled. "And your sensei will feel better soon enough to help you."

Izumo elbowed his friend to stop him from moaning and pleading some more. He had always been the smart one, and apparently he had a plan. He leaned forward and offered: "If I tell mom you helped us, I bet she'll sew you a new kimono top."

I halted with the brush hovering above the letter and glared at him. "You shouldn't use your mom's labor for your own benefits just like you shouldn't use mine."

Unrepentant, he smiled at me calmly. "I found and bought her some of the best fabric she has ever seen during one of our last missions. She owes me a favor, which makes all of this quid pro quo and a perfectly reasonable trade."

I squinted at him, impressed by his maturity.

"She has some fabric which is your favorite shade, just a touch darker than forest green, and emerald green ribbons..." He tried to coax me.

"Fine!" I interrupted him with a wave of my hand. "Fine. I'll make the damn pie. Good Kami, Izumo, if you're tired of the field, just become a diplomat."

Kotetsu squealed in delight and crushed his best friend in a hug while Izumo smiled smugly.

"Just leave, boys. You're embarrassing me at work."

"Sure thing, Maiko-nee-chan. Thanks again!"

That's how I started trading favors for pies, of all things...

oOo

I hadn't used an official training ground in years (since I had left the Genin Corps and their private ground). I made the most of this opportunity and arrived early to warm up. Then I used the stumps to work on my aim.

Years ago, at the academy, I used to spend hours working on it after lessons. It was mindless work. It allowed me to think about other things while I threw shuriken and kunai. I had bad sight during my previous life. It might not be the case in this one, but it didn't mean that aiming came more easily. I had to work a lot on this skill and training so much early on gave me good reflexes for life.

"Maiko-nee-chan."

I turned around to see Izumo and Kotetsu walking up to me. I waved at them and went to retrieve my weapons on the tree stumps. "Ready to kick my ass, kiddos?"

"You bet!" Kotetsu shouted cheerfully.

Izumo was more cautious. "Only if you allow it, nee-chan."

I chuckled and went to hug him tightly. I still was taller than him, enough to rest my chin on his head as I squeezed him. He put up with it patiently, patting my back as he did so.

Izumo and I were as close as brother and sister. Our fathers were twins. They always did everything together, including fighting... and dying at the beginning of the Third Shinobi War. I had been around Izumo since he was born, playing sister, babysitter, tutor and confidante. He was a really cute kid, unlike his best friend (I wasn't surprised that Kotetsu had been the one to decide on their first day of school that they would be friends, and the introverted Izumo just went along with it, that's often how those things work). I gave a predatory grin to Kotetsu, who laughed nervously.

"I didn't mean it would be easy, of course! You're still a chuunin, even if…"

"Yes? Even if what, Kotetsu-kun?" I egged him on cheerfully.

He glanced at Izumo who was making cutting motions at his throat. "Nothing! Nothing!"

"Ah, my dear Kotetsu-kun, we never had the opportunity to train together, did we? Come on, you'll go first, this will be fun." I tousled his spiky hair before walking to the middle of the training ground. "Remember: same rules as the Chuunin Exam matches."

Kotetsu was a good fighter, excellent with weapons, but it wasn't anything I couldn't deal with. While he relied mostly on strength, I was faster and my mastery of the tessen took him by surprise, enough that I had the upper hand for most of our fight. He was too brash and overconfident, with not enough strategy to win against an opponent of his level or higher. I was expecting to finish it quickly, but he suddenly withdrew and squinted at me.

I tilted my head and smiled. "Finally revising your strategy, or rather the absence thereof?"

"Izumo didn't say you were that good."

I tutted. "Your codependent relationship has its limits, Kotetsu-kun. You can't always count on him to analyse your opponents for you, be it because he didn't have the opportunity to get intel on them or because he's just as loyal to me than he is to you." I waved my fan in front of my face. "I suggest you use that brain of yours a little more instead of waiting for it to—"

I frowned, a noise distracting me. My instincts were blaring something was wrong. I threw myself to the side and felt something heavy brush my arm without seeing anything. I immediately brought my hands together. "Kai!" My chakra flow was disrupted and the illusion I was in the middle of disappeared, showing Kotetsu charging at me instead of standing where he had appeared to be until now. Ranting during a fight truly wasn't the most brilliant idea I had! I jumped and danced out of the way, laughing. "Not bad, Ko-kun!"

"Stop twirling around!" Kotetsu growled, although there was a spark of amusement in his eyes.

"I can't do that, dear. I have to honor my name after all!" Maiko meant 'dancing child' and there was nothing I liked more than dancing around an opponent. I wasn't exactly fond of getting hit, after all…

Unfortunately for me, I was garbage at genjutsu and countering them, mostly because I had very little experience with them. I was unable to detect the next illusion Kotetsu used. I ended up lying on the ground with him on top of me and a blade at my throat. His victorious grin was a sight to see.

"Not bad, Kotetsu-kun," I congratulated him honestly after we caught our breath.

He helped me to stand up.

I patted his head despite his growl. "Your use of genjutsu was smart. Smarter than what you showed at first. I suck at dealing with illusions, but it's the case of many genin and chuunin so it's a good skill to have. Be careful though: your illusions are only visual, when you made too much noise it allowed me to realize that I was in a genjutsu. You need to work on your discretion."

Izumo, who had joined us at the end of the fight, snorted and crossed his arms. "Good luck with that."

"I can be discreet!" Kotetsu protested.

"When you try to avoid your mother and little sister, sure. Otherwise? Nope."

"Izumo, it's your turn," I interrupted before this got out of hand.

Izumo and I trained together since I started the academy and he asked me to teach him what I knew. We were familiar with each other, but since he had become a genin three years ago, we had rarely done more than warming up together.

He had become better, much better, and it turned out he had several water jutsu up his sleeve. I sputtered when a Water Clone exploded in my face and immediately twirled out of the way, hearing kunai coming at me.

"My little cousin knows elemental jutsu! I'm so proud!" I squealed as he tried to stab me (during moments like this, it was better not to compare the different mentalities of my two lives).

"Stop trying to embarrass me," he grumbled. "This stopped working years ago."

"But it's so fun to do!"

Izumo was less of a taijutsu user, less resistant and strong, but he was a smart fighter with good techniques. He was intelligent enough to make it quick. I ended up in one of his trap with one of my tessen hovering above his wrist. I could have seriously hurt him, but in the end he was the one able to kill me in the next move. He won.

When he helped me up, I caught him in a fierce hug.

"Nee-chan… are you crying?" He asked, baffled.

"I'm not," I denied as I sniffled. I hid my face in his bandana (it was new... How cute! my little cousin was imitating his Genma-senpai!). "I'm just… I'm really proud of you, Izumo-kun," I admitted. "Our dads would be too." I bet that the water jutsu came in part from the scrolls they had left behind. Water Affinity ran in the family. I probably had it too, but learning elemental jutsu without a sensei was extremely difficult.

When Kotetsu arrived to our level, I was perfectly composed once again. Izumo squeezed my hand. We exchanged a soft smile.

"So, do you think we've got this?" Kotetsu asked.

"Yes. _If_ you think _before_ you rush into a fight!" I replied as I poked him in the chest.

Izumo snickered. "That's exactly what sensei and Genma-senpai told him!"

Kotetsu waved his hand. "Yeah, yeah, I got it! Now come on, I'm hungry!"

"Good point. Let's hurry. I barely have one hour left before the end of my lunch break and I need to change beforehand." My clothes were sweaty, dusty and torn on several places. That's why training on a work day was annoying. However, I had planned ahead just for this. We went to sit on the grass where I had left my bag, and I pulled out three bentos from it. It also contained a change of clothes and a towel for a quick wash later.

"You're really good at taijutsu and shurikenjutsu, Maiko-san," Kotetsu said, "and you're scary with the tessen. I thought people coming from the Genin Corps would be… mh… you know..."

"Weaker?" I chuckled and munched on an onigiri.

"No! I mean… yeah. It's like... You know... You're a chuunin so obviously you have skills but…" Kotetsu made a lot of gestures to convey his thoughts as his words failed him. It didn't help much.

"The truth, Kotetsu-kun, is that the only difference between you and the members of the Genin Corps is luck and opportunity."

Izumo looked up from his lunch, curious. "What do you mean?"

"You think you're better than those of your year who were sent to the Genin Corps? Think about it…" I gave them a few seconds to do so before adding: "At my graduation, I was ranked in fourteenth position."

Kotetsu looked up, wide-eyed. "I was eighteenth!"

Izumo, I knew, was eighth. I had helped him with his lessons after all. I also knew that I could have done better than fourteenth. The top ten would have been easy, but I wanted to stay inconspicuous.

"Your ranking, in the end... it means jack shit."

Izumo twitched, unused to me swearing.

"It's luck. Whether you have a good team and a good sensei... _That_ will get you on the right track or not."

"That's… that's a little pessimist, isn't it?" Izumo asked, dubious. The boys probably didn't appreciate the idea that they had come so far thanks to luck. And yet, luck was a shinobi's best friend.

"If you want pessimism, I could add that, of course, this is only true if you're not part of a clan but, oh, wait… that's just realism."

Kotetsu gave me a disappointed look. "Maiko-san, I didn't take you for the jealous and bitter kind of career chunin."

I shrugged. "I'm not jealous. Bitter... maybe. But mostly realist. I don't expect you to get it. You might have done more missions than me outside of Konoha, but you don't know how the village works like I do." I waved the subject aside with the back of my hand. I didn't want to shatter their illusions just before the Chunin Exams, that would be mean. "Back on track. The jounin sensei my team was assigned to was so eager to go back to the battlefield that he had already made up his mind about failing us before he met us. I know that because six months later I heard him say it to one of his friends, just before he added that if he had to be a sensei, he would only bother for clan children anyway. He was a Hyuuga. At the next graduation, he got a team with an Aburame. They passed. I pitied the two other kids." I chewed on my food thoughtfully. "I'm not sure they're still alive, to be honest."

The genin stared at me, horrified.

I blinked, realizing that my last comment was a little morbid. I smiled at them sheepishly. "Anyway! It's a little better now, of course. With the end of the war, genin can go back to the Academy to try again the Jounin path even when their first sensei was just an asshole. But during the war, believe me, the Genin Corps got lots of kids — often from civilian families, _never ever_ from clans — kids who could have been great if only someone had bothered to give them a chance."

The Genin Corps weren't bad because all the weak shinobi ended up there. They were bad because once you were in it, you had little hope to become great. How could you, when you had no jounin to teach you, only a tokubetsu jounin to guide you and the hundred of others under his command? To climb your way up, you could only rely on your own diligence. No-one was going to hold your hand and help you to overcome your flaws. You were shy and hesitant like Hinata? You're screwed. Lazy like Shikamaru? Screwed. No self-discipline (and it wasn't easy to find in most teenagers)? Screwed.

I sometimes wondered what I would have become with a good jounin sensei. The jutsu I would have learned. The missions I would have done… Maybe it made me a little bitter to ponder this, but jealous? No. I wasn't jealous of the kids of my age who had been sent on the battlefield as soon as possible. If the price of a healthy mind was mediocrity then I was okay with it.

"Why never from clans?" Izumo asked, interrupting my thoughts. "Are you saying that all the clan kids got an automatic pass?"

"Oh no, some clan kids are rejected. They can't all be prodigies or privileged by jounin after all, but as soon as one of them is rejected they get an apprenticeship. Not necessarily with their own clansmen by the way, although it's often the case, but clans have so much influence that they can easily pull strings in any division. Anything is good as long as their precious kids stay out of the Genin Corps. It would be a scandal if one of them either ended up here. All the other clans would mocked them. That's just not done, not since the foundation of the village. The Genin Corps have been founded to give some use to the kids they couldn't be bothered to teach, aka the civilian ones. It was an idea of Uchiha Madara." Who was surprised by that? Not me. "Of course, officially, if you ask any clan, the reason their kids always get apprenticeships is that they all have specializations that can be better used elsewhere."

"That's… unfair."

"Yep." I finished my bento and leaned over to give Izumo a hug. "But don't worry, cousin, your nee-chan knows everything about how the village works now. I won't let anyone screw with your or your best friend."

Izumo patted my shoulder distractedly before he frowned. "What do you mean by that? We're on the Jounin path now. How could anyone… screw with us?"

I put my hands on his cheeks and squished them a little. "Never change," I said affectionately as I stood up. "I have to go. See ya!"

"Wha—? No, wait! Nee-chan, what do you mean?!"

I ran away with my bag, laughing cheerfully.

I never noticed the eyes watching me.

oOo Bonus - Izumo's PoV oOo

"Geez, your cousin is so weird," Kotetsu sighed as he stretched out in the grass.

"Is that why you have a crush on her?" Izumo replied, deadpan, as he stared at Maiko's back.

"I do not!" Kotetsu straightened on his elbows and blushed at his best friend's unimpressed glance. "Shut up! She's just hot, alright? That's it!"

"Maiko-nee-chan isn't hot, she's _beautiful_... and too good for you," Izumo replied primly.

Kotetsu sputtered, until he noticed the small smirk at the corner of his friend's lips. He tried to kick him, but Izumo just leaned to the side to avoid it.

"Just remember that she's like an older sister to me."

"I know she is," Kotetsu sighed. "I perfectly remember all the times she came to find us when we were late for dinner and the corresponding lectures, thank you very much. She was as fast as our sensei to find us. How the hell did she do that?"

"She knows Konoha like the back of her hand and she asked the genin corps to keep an eye on me."

"Seriously?!"

"Yeah. Since her promotion she's a hero for them or something," Izumo shrugged. "I don't mind, it's useful to be known as Maiko's cousin." He wasn't sure that Maiko was aware of how much she meant to the Genin Corps. She was a big subject of gossip for them: they always knew the last news about her. They wanted to be in her favor because she was one of their own and had gone further than any other before without forgetting about where she came from. As such, it was no surprise that Izumo profit from her reputation, even if it sometimes meant gossiping a little about his own cousin (she would forgive him).

She was a role model for him. She had trained with him since he decided to become a shinobi, to 'make sure he survived'. She showed him everything, explained anything obscure patiently. He thought she was a bottomless well of knowledge and the best kunoichi there was. As such, he had been heartbroken when she had been sent to the Genin Corps. In fact, he had been more upset than she had been! He thought it was unfair, and to this day he still thought so. Maiko was smart, smarter than him. He had rationalized her 'failure' as the result of her being weaker than him on the physical part, maybe because she was a girl... that made sense, right?

In the end, maybe he just had more luck than her and life was just unfair after all... That might make more sense than his nee-chan being naturally weaker than him. If she didn't spend so much time sitting at a desk, she would kick his ass, no doubt about it!

* * *

 _Thank you for your support, it's really encouraging!  
_

 _EDIT on 30th of July 2017: Bonus added._


	4. Kids and Friends

As boring as desk work could be some days, working for the Hokage also brought surprises. Some were deadly (thank you dear ANBU and bodyguards for your good reflexes) and some were just… eccentric.

When I came back one day from a trip to Human Resources to hear a child screaming in the hallway, I only glanced up after realizing that this was slightly more than the usual Naruto Tantrum. There was a tension that tingled at the back of my neck.

Hatake Kakashi was the babysitter of the day (of course: Uchiha Mikoto never brought Naruto here and Nohara Rin only allowed it for very special occasions and emergencies). He was leaning against a wall, as usual, but his book was nowhere in sight. He seemed tense, not to say ready to bolt.

Haruka was unusually distressed, staring at the blond tornado without knowing what to do. Genma and Raidou were standing right in front of the office's door to stop Naruto from barging in with their arms crossed. Genma's senbon was twitching in a show of irritation.

To make things worse, this afternoon there were several people waiting to see the Hokage, and they were all gawking at the display.

I had the feeling that Naruto had said something awful to get all those reactions. Something like…

"... I wish mom was there instead of _him_! _She_ would listen and stay with me and play with me and cook and…"

… that. That would do the trick, yeah.

"Naruto, that's enough," Kakashi tried to intervene and catch the kid as he ran around.

"Don't touch me! I hate you!" Naruto bellowed.

Although his expression was difficult to see, the young jounin recoiled at the declaration.

I had my reservations about him. He had always been terrible at dealing with Naruto, but I knew he loved him dearly. He didn't deserve that.

Getting ready to walk into the warzone, I sighed and threw the files I had brought on my desk.

"I hate you and you and you..." Naruto was screaming as he pointed at Haruka and the guards.

I stepped forward. He was getting ready to point at me when I slapped him without warning.

The silence which followed was deafening. Naruto himself gaped at me as he touched his cheek. It wasn't red: the slap hadn't been hard, just enough to make a point.

"There, now you have a good reason to hate me," I said before glancing up at Kakashi and making the hand signs for " _SitRep_ ".

The jounin was startled enough that it took him a second to reply with " _Park. Group activity. All clear. Then sudden aggressiveness. Trigger unknown."_

I sighed. It wouldn't do to be annoyed at him for being so clueless. Kakashi hardly had a normal childhood. He probably didn't understand a kid's mindset. At the same age, if anything bothered him, he had more likely dealt with it by beating it into submission.

I crouched down to be at Naruto's level. He seemed unable to decide between crying or blowing up again. "Do you want to tell me what the mean bullies said?"

That tipped the scales in favor of crying. Ugly crying with heavy sobbing, stuttering and hands going up to dry his cheeks. "Th-they said t-that Dad didn't care about me because he's the Ho-hokage, and that I g-got mom killed and t-that's why I always have different babysitters! Because no-one cared!"

I lifted him into a hug, cradling the back of his head and rubbing his back; never mind that I immediately got my blouse covered in tears and soon probably with snot. "There, there. You should never listen to the bullies, Naruto-kun. They're jealous and say mean things to make themselves feel better." I walked to my chair to sit down — that boy was getting heavy — and I helped him settle on my lap.

He was crying loudly and heavily, letting the tension, anger and sadness out.

I stroke his hair gently. "Your dad cares very much about you, Naruto-kun. He's always speaking about you. He gives Haruka-san and I some headaches when he decides to change his schedule to spend more time with you. Your mom was a very strong and stubborn woman who always did things like she wanted to, so you better believe that she died the same way. She would kick those bullies' ass to even suggest anything like that."

Naruto looked up, his tears slowly calming, although he hiccuped as he asked: "You think?"

"I know so. As for the idea that no-one cares for you, that's just down right silly, really. I mean, if I didn't care I wouldn't let you cry on my blouse, that's my favorite you know. It's green and I reaaaally like green," I said while widening my eyes comically.

Naruto giggled as he rubbed his cheeks. "All your shirts are green, Maiko-san!"

"True. And I let you dropped tears and snot and ink and ramen and many other things I don't want to remember on my clothes, so obviously I must like you a whole lot, don't you think?"

He giggled again and nodded slowly before hiding his face against my shirt once again. He was probably getting embarrassed after his outburst.

Gently, I brushed his hair. "People say mean things when they're hurt, angry or jealous. They feel bad and they want to hurt other people to make themselves feel better, but it doesn't work that way, Naruto-kun. You can lash out and find all good reasons to be angry and unhappy. You can look around and see all the things you want and can't have, to become jealous of everyone and angry at everything. You'll just become even more unhappy. Is that what you want?"

He shook his head against the fabric. I twirled a strand of his golden hair between my fingers.

"So here's what you've got to do to be happy: for everything that makes you sad and angry, you find something that makes you feel good. For example, your dad sometimes can't have dinner with you but everytime that happens he makes sure to have ramen at Ichiraku with you afterwards. Your mom isn't here but you've a family with an older sister, an older brother, a father and a weird godfather and they all do their best to be there at your birthdays. Sometimes you're scared at night and you can't go to sleep with your parents but you just have to ask and your big brother will summon all his ninkens to protect you from the monsters under the bed." I could go on and on. The Hokage liked to share a lot of details about his son...

Naruto put a finger in front of his mouth in a demand of secrecy.

I smirked and leaned down to whisper: "I'm very jealous of that. I wish I had lots of ninken to protect me from the monsters under my bed."

"You said that being jealous isn't good," Naruto pointed out with a frown.

"You _can_ feel jealous but you shouldn't let it matter. I would like to have ninken to protect me, but I'm happy that I'm strong enough to fight the monsters myself if I need to, so it's alright. Do you understand what I mean, Naruto-kun?"

"I think so. I have to think about what makes me happy," he said with a nod.

"That's right. And don't listen to the bullies."

"Because they're just mean, sad and angry and I'll become just like them if I do!"

"Exactly. Then they'll win and we can't let that happen, right?"

"Yeah!"

"Good, I'm glad we agree. But now there is something else very important we have to talk about," I said firmly.

"What is it?"

"Do you remember what you said before I arrived?"

The kid took a few seconds to think about it, gnawing on his thumb as he did so. When he remembered, he slouched and lowered his head. "Yeah."

"What did you say, Naruto-kun?"

"Mean things."

"That's right. Really mean things, Naruto-kun. That's not alright to say those things just because you're angry and they didn't let you do whatever you wanted."

The boy looked ready to cry again.

I patted his head to comfort him. "Sometimes it happens though. We say bad things. What do we do when it happens?"

"Say sorry," he mumbled very quietly.

"That's right. Go on then."

Naruto climbed down and immediately sprinted to Kakashi. The jounin was leaning against the wall, just opposite to my desk. The kid tackled-hugged Kakashi's legs and squeezed them with all his strength. "I'm sorry Kakashi-nii-san! I didn't mean it! I love you very very much. I'm sorry."

The inscrutable one-eye stare left me to look down at the kid. Kakashi pushed away the little arms to be able to crouch down and hug Naruto more evenly. I couldn't hear what he said in reply, but Naruto nodded his head eagerly and hugged him a little more. Then, the little blond ran to Haruka's desk and bowed as he made his apologies. He was immediately forgiven so he went to do the same to Raidou and Genma, who seemed more intent in making him squirm.

Watching the show from the corner of my eyes, I was distracted by Kakashi, who stared at me pointedly. I raised an eyebrow at him and he took a few steps forward to lean against my desk.

"Can you teach me that?" He drawled.

I couldn't help but snort. "Sure, if you lend me your ninken." I glanced at Naruto, who was pulling on Genma's shirt while insisting he was really _really_ sorry to have kicked him. "Just remember that being overindulgent doesn't help anyone. He needs some discipline." I played with a pen and pointed it at Kakashi's face. "Just like puppies."

There was a squeal of delight as Genma threw Naruto in the air and caught him under his arm to mess up his hair. "Oh, are you, uh? Are you _really_ sorry, Naruto-kun?" Genma teased him with a smirk.

"Yes! Yes, I am!" Naruto squeaked as he flailed around.

"Good. You're forgiven," Genma said as he put him down. "Don't do that again, kiddo, you've a mean kick."

Naruto ran back to Kakashi and hid behind his legs to stick his tongue out at Genma. His babysitter grabbed him by the back of his shirt and threw him on his shoulder.

"Alright," Kakashi said, "that's enough excitement for the day. Let's leave Maiko-san to work, shall we?"

"Ok. Bye bye, Maiko-san!"

oOo

Late in the afternoon that same day, the seal in the corner of my desk started to glow gently. I stood up and grabbed a notepad and a pencil before walking to the Hokage's office. I smiled at the guards and cracked open the door. He might just want a cup of tea. "Hokage-sama?"

He was standing in front of a window, his back turned to me. "Come in, Maiko-san."

I obeyed and closed the door behind me. I stopped in front of his desk, the notepad clutched to my chest. His silence made me uneasy. He probably had heard of the altercation with Naruto this morning. What if he was upset I had slapped his son? Kami, that was stupid of me. I was taking too many liberties. Just because my boss was kind to me didn't mean I could do anything I wanted!

I gave in first and asked tentatively: "What can I do for you, Yondaime-sama?"

He hummed and shifted slightly, his chest turning toward me but his gaze lost over the roofs of Konoha. "You were the first to call me by that title with complete sincerity, you know."

I blinked in surprise and needed a few seconds to remember the day I first met him, when I announced to him, his girlfriend and his team my desire to become the Hokage's assistant.

"Years ago, you asked me to remember you… and I did. You made a strong impression that day, Maiko-san." He finally turned and offered me a lopsided smile.

Flustered, I stared at the ground, looking up through my lashes when the Hokage stepped forward. He stopped an arm's length away and leaned against his desk.

"You're very insightful, overall. You understand how the village works, how people — whether they are shinobi or civilians — work… and even how my own son works when he's sometimes a mystery to me."

That… sounded like compliments. Right? I felt a "but" coming...

"Yet, I've been led to believe that I haven't seen your full potential." His hand came up slowly and lifted my chin, forcing me to look him in the eye. "Do you remember when I gave you this position, Maiko-san?"

Of course. I wouldn't forget that anytime soon…

o

… _It was four months after the tenth of October. The Hokage had been in office for eighteen months. I was a chuunin for twenty-one._

 _Nara Yoshino had to quit her job seven months ago, when her pregnancy became too advanced for her to work. She had appointed me as her replacement; which meant that I spent seven months running after the Jounin Commander, the last four being a period of crisis that blurred in my memory as I spent too much time sleep deprived._

 _Being the Jounin Commander's assistant wasn't really hard, despite my doubts when Yoshino-san dumped this on me. Years of Genin Corps as a fetcher and paper-pusher had prepared me for this job far more than I would have thought._

 _I also had the advantage of an early growth (and, of course, of my previous life's experience). At fourteen years old, I was already 170cm tall, which was quite good for a woman in this world. My young age wasn't obvious. Nara Shikaku was so lazy that I had to do most of the legwork and interacting with shinobi was much easier when you didn't look too green._

 _After seven months (including one week of following Yoshino around and listening to her advice, because she was professional enough to tutor her replacement), I felt confident that I could foresee Shikaku's needs. He was predictable enough for a genius._

 _I proved it to myself when I had to assist him during an emergency Council meeting. I was standing on his right, just behind him, with a pile of papers in my arms. I wasn't the only assistant around, but I was by far the most active. Every few minutes, I dropped a paper relevant to the subject at hand in front of Shikaku. He didn't need to say a word or even blink to ask for it, it always ended up in front of him before he even needed it. It was the first reunion during which I was able to predict all his needs, and I was getting extremely proud of a job well done. Nevermind that I had to drink coffee even though I hated it to stay focused. I was rocking this!_

 _Five minutes before the end of the meeting, the discussion suddenly turned to a subject that no-one was expecting. While most were missing the details they needed to make an appropriate decision, I fought with my pile of papers to extract a file from it and made a victorious noise when I found the one I wanted. When I looked up to give it to Shikaku, I discovered that several members of the Council had turned toward me, including the Hokage._

 _I blushed but stayed on-task. "My apologies. Too much coffee. The report you're speaking about, Shikaku-san."_

 _They went back to their discussion, and I thought it would be the end of it. However, at the end of the meeting, the Hokage came to speak to Shikaku… or tried to anyway because the Jounin Commander said "no" before the Yondaime could make a noise._

 _Far from being offended, Minato laughed and said teasingly: "I don't think that's your decision to make, Shikaku."_

" _Don't poach my assistant, Minato. I just trained her how I like."_

" _With all due respect Sir, you didn't train me, Yoshino-san did," I pointed out without thinking, distracted by what I thought they were saying but was too wary to hope for._

" _Which amounts to the same thing," the Jounin Commander grumbled, leaning his heavy head on his hand._

" _Kamizuki-san, right?" The Yondaime asked me, ignoring his friend._

" _Yes, Hokage-sama," I breathed._

" _Are you still interested in_ —"

" _Yes," I replied, blushing as soon as I realized I didn't let him finish._

 _He laughed cheerfully and sent a smirk to Shikaku (who was sulking as much as a laid-back man like him could). "Excellent. I'm giving you a week to find a replacement and tutor him or her."_

" _A month," Shikaku tried to bargain._

" _Two weeks, not one more. My assistant is overwhelmed," the Yondaime replied before turning to me with a smile. "I look forward to your care, Kamizuki-san…"_

o

"Shikaku held it against me for weeks. He could see your potential too and thought you could have done with more experience in his division. He might not have been wrong, but I believe you did well as it is."

"Thank you," I murmured, still wondering where he was going with this.

"I do not consider my shinobi disposable and interchangeable. You even less so. I do not plan to loose you anytime soon, short of a disaster, and that's a decision which is only mine to take. Do you understand?"

I blinked and nodded slowly. "Yes, Hokage-sama."

"Good. I expect to see nothing but your best from now on, Maiko. Alright?"

"As you order, Hokage-sama."

"I count on you to care for what I hold dear as much as for myself. You proved you're capable of it today."

I bowed immediately, understanding the implications. He was giving me his blessing in handling his son today. That trust was more touching than anything else he could have done.

I left his office in a daze.

Haruka stepped in after me with the schedule for the following day.

I went to order my desk to leave for the evening.

Genma came to sit on the corner and watched me silently.

Knowing what he wanted, a reaction, I barely glanced at him. "You're a telltale."

"I am the eyes and ears of the Hokage, just like you."

I knew. That's why I couldn't be upset with him. The Hokage was to us what my mother used to be in my previous life: the exception to every promise of secrecy. The difference is that my mother would have kept it for herself, while the Hokage acted on it as he pleased… Yeah, the comparison wasn't really appropriate. Still, I understood.

He knew it because he didn't even bother to look apologetic. On the contrary, he was smug, the asshole. "See? I was right."

I huffed and shook my head. "I'm still not wearing that blouse at work."

"Damnit!" Genma cursed, pretending to be upset and disappointed for a second before laughing.

I chuckled and nudged him. "Idiot," I said fondly before grabbing my coat.

"Raidou and I were planning to go out for dinner. Do you want to come with us?"

I glanced over my shoulder at Raidou who gave me one of his rare and small smiles to show he agreed and that wasn't just Genma imposing his will.

We often ended the day quite late and cooking then seemed like a chore. I wasn't rich enough to eat out every night but once would be fine, especially if it was to spend time with… friends.

I smiled and nodded. "I'd like that. What did you have in mind?"

"You have to decide for us. Curry rice or okonomiyaki?"

"Curry sounds good."

"Heard that, Raidou? You win."

Genma threw an arm around my shoulders. Raidou walked on my other side with his hands in his pockets.

Outdoors, the weather was windy and cold. The boys were in perfect position to shield me from the wind, both of them being ten centimeters taller than me and I used this so shamelessly that Genma laughed at me when I hid behind him at a crossroads.

"Fear not, young maiden, I shall protect you from the wind," he joked with an exaggerated tone.

"Yo," a voice sounded out just behind me before I could reply.

Startled, I turned around to see Kakashi. He was accompanied by Nohara Rin. The medic-nin was a tokubetsu jounin and one of the most promising doctors from what Yondaime-sama told me. It was rare to see her out of the hospital unless she was babysitting Naruto and taking him to the park.

"Hey, Kakashi, Rin," Genma greeted them with a wave of his hand. "You're not dining at the Hokage residence tonight?"

"It's private time," Kakashi replied with a shrug.

"Considering how upset Naruto was this morning, Minato-sensei wanted some alone time with him," Rin explained.

"Makes sense. We don't want a repeat performance of that, right Maiko-chan?" Genma said, smirking at me.

"That would be preferable… for your shin. How is it? Are you sure you should be walking, you poor thing?" I replied with humor, tilting my head with mock sympathy.

He pinched the back of my neck in retaliation and I laughed, trying to get away from him but only managing to get him to pull on my hair. "Not the hair, you, heathen!"

"Oooh, sorry. Of course the hair is off limits, I don't pull the pigtails of girls, that's just rude," he said playfully, although he stopped and probably meant his apology.

Raidou — being much more well behaved — ignored us and offered the newcomers to join us for dinner. They accepted and we moved on, walking a little faster now that the night had truly fallen and it was colder.

My bun was coming undone. I undid it, removing each pin and the senbon I hid in it.

Genma did a double take as I did and whispered jokingly: "Did you steal one of mine?"

"Please," I replied with feigned snobbism, "I wouldn't use one of yours. Kami know where they have been."

He pulled on my ponytail in revenge, but not to tug on my hair: he removed the elastic band, freeing my long brown hair in waves. Some strands fell in front of my eyes and I blew them away huffily while giving Genma a reproving look.

He grinned cheekily and gave me the elastic back. "You never let them down at work. I like it. Aaand we are here."

I had been expecting one of the cheap restaurants offering rice drenched in sauce and a small windy room where you sat on stools in a row in front of the kitchen counter or nearby. I rarely went out to eat but when I did it with friends from the Genin Corps, that's what I had been used to (and I didn't like it, which might also explain why I didn't do it often).

That place was definitely a level above. It was warm and friendly with wooden tables and comfortable chairs. When the food arrived, the rice was forming a dam holding back the perfect amount of sauce. My wallet was going to cry about this but, damn, it was worth it.

"First time coming here?" Genma asked when he saw the face I made at my plate.

"Yes. This is great," I admitted cheerfully before catching my first shrimp covered in sauce and tasting it. I hummed in pleasure. The sauce definitely was homemade, which was rare. "Really good." I eyed his plate, full of fried pork cutlets instead of shrimps and pointed my spoon at them. "Want to share?"

"What do I get if I say yes?" Genma teased me.

"My shrimps," I replied dryly. "Take example on Raidou for once. _He_ 's a gentleman."

Raidou and Rin were sitting face to face and they had shared their plates with barely two words needed.

Genma smirked at that and exchanged a look with Kakashi pointedly.

I blinked several times, feeling like I was missing something. The raised eyebrows of those two and the caring behavior of the two others finally tipped me off. "Oh," I mouthed, wide-eyed. "They are…"

Genma waved his fingers in a handsign for 'ongoing'.

That was… That's so sweet! One more example of how I managed to changed things: Rin was alive and soon in a romantic relationship! I refrained from squealing in delight by attacking ruthlessly Genma's plate and snatching one of his cutlet.

"You little minx!" He protested, laughing.

I was already eating it to avoid retaliation. I simply pointed out to my plate to invite him to get his share of shrimps. When I looked at it, I was surprised to discover that several of them had already disappeared and were replaced by mackerel. The only one having ordered this was Kakashi, who blinked at me innocently. I smiled at him, swallowed my mouthful and turned to Genma. "See, even Kakashi-san is better at sharing than you."

He huffed and replied: "If you want to taste everything, you should just come back later."

I focused on my plate and replied quietly without looking up. "You know I can't afford it too often."

Raidou and Rin were talking together and didn't hear me (or so I thought), but Kakashi did and I felt his stare on me.

"I don't get it," Genma said, lowering his voice to respect my privacy. "You have good wages. It's not A-class but still."

I played with my spoon for a few seconds before deciding to be honest. Genma was a friend (and a nosey one, who wouldn't stop pestering me until he got an answer) and it's not like I was ashamed of the truth. "My mother is a resident at the Senju Nursing Home." I looked up to find everyone staring at me.

Genma was frowning. "I don't know what that is."

"It's a facility which cares for the seriously injured veterans," Rin explained. "It offers re-education and physiotherapy but also residential care to those who need continual nursing care beyond the abilities of their families. Part of the cost is covered by the Veteran Fund but not all of it. It's still costly."

"Shit. Maiko, I'm sorry," Genma immediately apologized for pushing.

"It's fine. It's not a secret and I'm not poor. I just need to be careful with money. And if you're going to offer or try to pay for my meal, I'm going to hit you," I warned him, pointing at his chest. "Just give me another cutlet."

He pretended to grumble but gave it to me anyway.

I nudged him gently. "See, that wasn't so hard."

We exchanged a soft smile and went back to our meal.

A few minutes later, Rin, who was sitting on my right, leaned toward me. "Maiko-san… I… I know we don't know each other much but if you ever need help regarding your mother's medical care, don't hesitate to ask me."

That was so unexpected that I needed a few seconds to get over my surprise. "That's… kind of you Rin-san, thank you."

She smiled at me, just as sweetly as her sensei. "I heard a lot about you. You take care of others. I do too. We shall help each other."

Damn, she was _so_ cute… And I would probably embarrass myself if I didn't answer right now instead of gawking. "I'd like that."

She grinned fully. "I'm glad. I don't have many female friends."

I groaned in empathy. "I know what you mean. Shinobi corps are so not conducive to female friendship. When is your next day off? We could do something together? I was thinking of going to the hot springs sometime…"

Her face lighted up. "I'd love to!"

Matching our schedules wasn't easy, but we agreed on a date. She seemed ecstatic. I wasn't sure why. I didn't agree to anything outlandish.

The explanation came from an unexpected source, as we were leaving the restaurant one by one after paying. Kakashi had been first and I followed him.

"She meant it," he told me bluntly. "She doesn't have many friends. She focused on becoming one of the best medics for years."

I tightened my scarf around my neck and my coat around my chest. I watched him thoughtfully. "You make quite a pair, don't you?" I shrugged. "Don't worry. I meant it too. I'd be happy to spend time with her. I think we'll get along great."

"You made the same face to her as you did to Minato-sensei the first time you met him."

I was turning towards the restaurant, waiting for our friends. His remark made me gape at him, wide-eyed. "You remember that?!"

He stared instead of replying.

"It's their smile," I grumbled defensively. "They have the same. It's a fucking weapon, I swear." I squinted at him. "Is that what you're hiding under that mask? Another disarming smile?"

He snorted and turned his head away to hide the crinkles of his eye and mask.

"You totally are," I teased him with a nudge of my elbow. I knew for a fact that was true. Damn it, now I wanted to see his smile in real life!

"Did we miss something?" Genma asked as he arrived with Rin and Raidou.

"Nothing important," I dismissed. "Now, it's getting late. I have to go before I freeze on this sidewalk. Rin-san, it was a pleasure to meet you. I'm looking forward to our date."

"I'm walking you home," Genma stated just as Rin was returning my courtesy.

"You don't need to," I refused, surprised.

"I insist," he said seriously.

"Alright," I drawled, choosing to go with the flow instead of making a scene. "Raidou-san, Kakashi-san, have a good night."

His arm went around mine as we walked toward my home. He was playing with his senbon in an unusually agitated way.

I glanced at him, frowning. "What's wrong? If this is about the money thing…"

"Nah. I get it. You don't want to make a big deal out of it, and you don't want pity or charity."

"Yes," I confirmed, pleased by his understanding.

"No, that's nothing to do with it. I wanted to talk to you about it before dinner actually. Look, do you remember when you asked me to train with your cousin? At first, I thought you were asking for yourself and it got me thinking… maybe we should train together."

"Genma, I'm so far out of your league it's not even funny," I pointed out.

His senbon went up and down in disapproval (you could learn more about his feelings by watching his senbon than by watching his face, and somehow I had gotten used to it). "Don't put yourself down like that. No matter that you come from the Genin Corps, you're still a chuunin. I'm just a tokubetsu jounin."

I snorted. "Please," I drawled with a roll of my eyes. "You're one of the Hokage's bodyguards. I'm sure you could become jounin if you _really_ wanted to."

He glanced at me with a hint of surprise before he smirked. "So much faith in me…"

"In the Hokage, actually. I trust that he chose his bodyguards well."

He threw an arm around my shoulders and squeezed me against his side in retaliation. " _Anyway_. My point is: you're not as bad as you pretend to be but you're not as good as you _could_ be, and an assistant of the Hokage should be ready for… basically anything. So we should train."

I stared at him, but he ignored me, looking in front of us steadily. "There is something you're not telling me… How do you know how good I am and how good I could become?"

He sighed and tilted his head. "Fine. I might have watch you train with Izumo and Kotetsu. It wasn't exactly planned, I just found you in the middle of your training."

It had been weeks ago. Izumo and Kotetsu were already in Suna for the Chuunin Exams.

"You little spy!" I poked him in admonition but, really, this was a shinobi village, being watched without your knowledge wasn't as shocking as in my previous life (as long as it wasn't infringing on your privacy that is). "And? Verdict?"

"Your taijutsu, shurikenjutsu and tessenjutsu are good, but you don't use any ninjutsu or genjutsu and you're weak against them."

I shrugged. "Never was taught much about it. When Kuma-sensei helped me train, he focused on taijutsu. That's his specialty."

"I gathered as much. We could easily work on it."

I put an arm around his waist to make our position more comfortable and leaned my head back in the crook of his elbow. "Well. Refusing instruction is the privilege of idiots. I'm in."

"Good."

"That is, if I can find some time for you in my suddenly very busy social life," I joked.

We were turning around a corner.

Genma suddenly pressed me against a wall."Are you saying I am not a priority, darling?" he whispered in my ear, his skin brushing mine, his warmth enveloping me.

Anyone else and I would have felt uncomfortable enough to immediately push him back, but Genma had always been good at looking nonthreatening, and he had wormed his way into my defenses. I felt safe… and flustered. I licked my lips nervously and noticed his eyes following the motion.

"I'll make room for you," I promised a little breathlessly.

"Good." A hand brushed my hair. His lips dropped a kiss on my temple. He tugged me back on the street gently.

oOo Bonus - Kakashi's PoV oOo

Kamizuki Maiko was nothing special. That was Kakashi's belief since he first met her. He never understood Minato-sensei's interest for her (Was it an ego thing? Because she was the first to believe he would become the Yondaime?), nor Genma's infatuation for her (she was pretty enough, but Genma could find better).

Well... Kakashi had been proven wrong before. It wasn't often, but it wasn't new either.

She had a way with people, there was that. She was smart too especially in an emotional capacity — which admittedly he was rubbish at. She had caught his attention, just like she had caught Minato's years ago, and Kakashi should really know better than ever doubting his sensei.

If she became friend with Rin, he might see her more often. In which case, it was just natural for him to spend a little more time than before learning to know her... It made perfect sense. If, while he did so, he learned a few things about how to tame the little blond devil he had to babysit, it was just a bonus.

Enemies were truly easier to deal with than kids.

* * *

 _Dam curry rice exists. Take a look on Google Images, it's funny. =)_

 _I'm currently thinking about adding some **Kakashi/Maiko** and **Genma/Maiko/Kakashi** starting in chapter 8 (yes, I'm ahead on the writing, that's how I can publish so often; I don't promise it will always ___be_ like that). Kakashi is one of my favorite characters and my muse tends to give him a good place in the plot even when he isn't planned... EDIT: To be clear, Maiko/Genma is a given, they will be together. The question is if Kakashi will be part of the romance, somehow.  
_

 _Also, if you're interested, you can find me on **tumblr** , same username as here. It's a sideblog I opened for manga/anime. _

_EDIT 30th of July 2017: Bonus added._


	5. While the Hokage's away, Root will play

_**Trigger warning:** snakes ahead._

* * *

In our eagerness, Genma and I had forgotten a detail: the Yondaime and his Guard Platoon were leaving Konoha for a week. They were going to attend the Chuunin Exams' tournament in Suna.

"Your cousin and his friend made it to the final. I'll tell you all about it when we get back," Genma promised.

In the absence of the Hokage, work was much quieter. Our days were shorter too. However it didn't mean we didn't have work to do.

The Jounin Commander was the one in charge of the daily routine, to his great displeasure. Working for him reminded me of the few months during which I had been his assistant. I felt a little nostalgic. It had been a good time: for the first time in my career, I had done something I liked without too much pressure. Yoshino had trained me well and Shikaku wasn't the kind of boss to criticize and bully. Even when everyone had been stressed after the Kyuubi's attack, I hadn't felt anxious, just overworked. I was fond of Shikaku.

Haruka? Not so much. Shikaku's laziness and nonchalance always rubbed her up the wrong way. The Nara was perfectly aware of it, but he wasn't going to change for anyone. If she couldn't deal with it, it was her problem, not his.

I ended up doing most of the liaison work, leaving the first assistant to focus on the paperwork in a quiet office. It suited us both perfectly. I might not have been fond of my time as a genin gofer, but I appreciated not being stuck to my desk all day.

Shikaku was a man of habits, too lazy to change what worked for him. I wasn't expecting any surprise. Yet, in the morning of our third day, I walked in his office and froze before I could give him the usual morning briefing.

"What the hell—" I breathed.

The Jounin Commander was sleeping on his desk, and he was reeking of alcohol. Now I knew why his assistant was cowering in the hallway. He woke up and blinked at me tiredly.

"Alright. What did you do to Yoshino-san?" I sighed.

"What makes you think _I_ did anything?" He grumbled.

I dropped a pile of papers on his desk a little more loudly than necessary, getting a glare in return. "Because you look pathetic. The kind of pathetic that tells me you spent too much time wondering what mistake you made instead of the kind of terrifying that tells me you're angry."

He straightened slowly, resting his head on his hand as he stared at me thoughtfully. "Minato owes me so much for stealing you," he sighed before standing up and stretching. "The answer is in your observation."

He didn't know what mistake he made. Great. He didn't look eager to talk about it either. I knew better than to press: I might take more liberties than most assistants, but I was also smart enough to know the limits. I nodded, briefed him on his schedule and stepped out of the office without dilly-dallying. Right now, he needed peace more than anything.

His assistant was Torikai Akane, a red-haired like her name implied, from a family offshoot of the Akimichi. She was twisting her fingers in distress. "It's getting worse," she whispered to me before I could ask.

"Is it?"

"Mostly because his patience is stretched thin, I think. It has been like this since Shikamaru's birth."

I frowned, trying to remember the months after the Nara's heir birth. It had been a mess with what happened two weeks later, on the 10th of October. If there had been any trouble in the Nara household, it had been overridden by the bigger mess that was Konoha at large during those days. Maybe that was the problem: something that hadn't been dealt with at the time and that had gone worse and worse as time passed.

I shook my head and shrugged. I couldn't do much about it. "I'm going to bring him something to clean, eat and calm his hungover," I offered, familiar with the routine. Fortunately, Minato wasn't the kind to get hungover often (unless his sensei was in town), but he had had his share of sleepless nights at the office.

"Oh, thank you! I have this pile of reports to organize. A team came home from an urgent mission last night."

I patted her wrist gently. Akane was six years older than me, but also she came from the Genin Corps and I remembered her from before she passed the Intern Chuunin Exams. She had been one of the eldest, who did their best to help the new genin. She gave good advice (particularly on who to avoid), and I had always liked her: I had recommended her to be my successor after all. Now she was engaged to an Akimichi, which meant she would become a clan member. She could have let it go to her head, but she had integrated the Genin Corps' first rule just like I did: we stuck together, always.

This surprise wasn't the only bump in the road that week.

The following afternoon, I was alone at my desk when two Uchiha came up. I couldn't remember the name of the oldest, but the youngest was unforgettable: Itachi. It was troubling to see him so young and different from what he could become. Right now, he was just a very polite and quiet child — a talented one, true, but still just a child.

"Kamizuki-san. We come from the mission desk, where we were told that we were banned from anything higher level than D-rank on the Hokage's orders. What is the meaning of this? Itachi is ready for much more. His previous C-ranks went without a hitch!"

I stared at him, aghast. "Uchiha-san. Your eight years old student killed his first man two weeks ago. In which world isn't that considered a 'hitch'?"

"He handled his opponent without difficulties, and we went through the appropriate protocol following this milestone," he replied frostily.

Milestone. Killing a man was a fucking milestone. Good divinities above, why did I have to be reborn in this crazy world?

"Protocol doesn't take the young age of your charge in consideration, Uchiha-san," I replied as calmly as I could despite my wish to strangle him. "Hokage-sama wishes to provide him with a longer—"

"It's unnecessary! This coddling is detrimental to his growth and will slow down his—"

"He's eight!" I shouted back, exasperated (tentative to keep my temper in check: failed; that tended to happen when children were concerned). "Eight and already a genin! Eight and he already killed a man! Don't give me that bullshit about slowing him down when he's already far ahead of his age group, age group that will spend a year longer in the Academy anyway because — let me remind you of that _detail_ , Uchiha-san — we are not at war anymore!" I stood up when he looked like he wanted to argue again. "The Hokage's decisions are not debatable, Uchiha-san!"

"You're blinded by jealousy, career chunin," he seethed.

"I see more clearly than you do, jounin," I retorted. "The individual by your side is a _child_. He might be an exceptional one with the edge of a good blade, but even the best blade breaks when you mistreat it too early as you forge it. Give him time to rest. That is _final_."

The jounin left in a huff. As Itachi followed him more slowly, I whistled to get his attention while I opened a drawer. He turned and caught the candy (one of those I had for Naruto on his good days) I threw at him. He stared at me curiously, waiting for an explanation.

"Sorry for talking about you like you weren't there, Itachi-kun," I said with a sheepish smile.

He bowed his head and left without a word.

I shook my head and sighed. I bet he was used to it. Poor boy. I firmly believed that the friendship between Minato and Mikoto helped a lot to ease things with the Uchiha clan, but Fugaku was still too hard on his son.

oOo

Two days before the Yondaime's return, I had the afternoon off and spent it with Rin as promised.

The hot springs were new to me in this life. In the previous one, apart from a short trip to Japan, I had only traveled in Europe.

Here, I had discovered many traditions I wasn't used to. I had accepted most of them easily but only one had excited me. Hot springs were the best thing _ever_. Jacuzzis were just a step above but, considering there weren't any in this world, they were disqualified of the competition.

Rin laughed at me when I stepped into the onsen with a very pleased sigh.

"Hush, you," I said with a smile. "I love onsen. Don't judge."

"I don't," she promised between a few chuckles. "It's just nice to see you appreciate it so much."

"If I could afford it, I'd test all the most famous onsen of Hi no Kuni," I declared as I sat on a submerged stone bench. The hot water rose above my shoulders, at the perfect height.

"It's a nice idea for an honeymoon," Rin pointed out as she sat by my side.

"If I marry someone rich enough to afford it, I'll be sure to mention it."

"Genma isn't rich, but he has good wages."

I glanced at her with a lopsided grin. "The same as Raidou, in fact. Are you familiar with his wages, Rin-san?"

"No!"

I winced at her outrage, a little embarrassed but also a little amused by her vehemence. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make it sound like you're a gold-digger." I patted her hand underwater and gave her an apologetic smile. "Considering you're one of the best medics of Konoha, I doubt you need any financial support anyway. I just wanted to give you an opportunity to talk about him if you wanted to, but I guess I'm out of practice with that sort of casual girl talk."

Rin chuckled softly and bowed her head to hide her red cheeks behind her hair. "Oh. I… I'm the same really."

"We don't even have to talk about the guys anyway," I noted. It just came naturally since they were something we had in common and basically how we met. "But if it helps... Genma and I are just friends, nothing more. I wouldn't mind a serious relationship with him, but I'm not sure he's interested in that kind of things."

She nodded in understanding. "He's rather… fickle."

"That's a nice way to put it." I looked up at the grey cloud above us. "Not like Raidou."

"I— Yes. It will be two years now."

I glanced at her, wide-eyed. "Two years… that he's interested in you?!"

She nodded slowly and curled up a little. "He first asked me out two years ago, but I… I wasn't in a good place… I was still… grieving my teammate and great friend…"

"Oh," I breathed in understanding. Damn you Obito, I _tried_ to save your ass.

I had actually no idea if he was dead or walking around with a creepy body. The frustrating part of changing things in the shadows was that I wasn't in a good place to observe the consequences. I had conjectures, at best. I believed that nothing had changed at Kannabi bridge because Minato hadn't taken my warning seriously, and when everything I had predicted became true, he learned from his mistake and saved Rin thanks to the second scroll (if that was true, the poor man probably blamed himself terribly for Obito's presumed death). Outside of asking him directly, I couldn't be sure.

"He was really sympathetic and he left me alone," Rin continued. "He dated someone else for a year, but they broke up three months ago and… well…" She looked at me hesitantly before babbling: "I'm feeling better now. I was thinking about moving on, and Genma implied that Raidou was still interested and he's really nice…"

"He is," I agreed. "He's a good man. Quiet but honorable and attentive." He was a little disconcerting when you didn't know him because he seemed taciturn, but he was the kind of men I could imagine giving his girlfriend constant attention in the form of small gifts and actions instead of words.

She nodded eagerly. "So, I let him knew I was interested, but I probably looked too unsure because he decided to mh… court me."

"Oooh, that's cute." Like I said, a very honorable and attentive man.

"Yes," she agreed but there was a hint of frustration as she pulled on her hair, "but I'm worried he'll think it's going too slow and gets bored of me."

I tutted in disagreement. "He's very patient. I don't think it'll be a problem as long as you're still receptive to his courting."

"But, I mean, he's more experienced than me and older. Won't he have some… expectations?"

I made a rude noise, then thought about it, sniffed and shook my head. "He chose to court you. You didn't ask for it. He knows what he committed to. And, like you pointed out, he's older, not a teenager anymore, so give him a little more credit, he'll wait for you to be ready. If he doesn't, he doesn't deserve you anyway. Don't let it bother you. Focus on your own feelings. Let him deal with his own. If he wants things to change, he'll have to talk to you about it and that's it."

She stared at me.

I fidgeted a little, feeling self-conscious. "What?"

"You… You're very mature, Maiko-san. Kakashi and Minato-sensei told me so, but I hadn't realized how much."

I blushed a little and cleared my throat.

In my Academy days, I was better at hiding (if I hadn't been I would have graduated early and been sent on the battlefields, and I valued my mental health much more than supposed glory, thank you very much). As time passed, I slipped more and more. I wasn't surprised that Minato had noticed, otherwise he wouldn't have offered a sensitive position to a sixteen years old nobody, but I hadn't realized that I had appeared on Kakashi's radar too.

"Anyway," I mumbled.

Rin giggled but gracefully offered another subject of discussion: her work. Medicine had always interested me so I was more than happy to talk about her research and listen to her explanations. Chakra changed many things in this world. Some of the things I knew about biology were obsolete and it made me glad I hadn't tried a career in medicine. I would have messed up.

We left the bath when it became too much (despite my love for it, there was such a thing as too much bathing in those hot mineral waters), but we didn't go far: this place was a spa who also offered massages. Rin had offered to try it, and I had agreed to splurge a little. My birthday was coming soon, this was my present to myself.

Wearing a yukata provided by the bathhouse, we were waiting on wooden benches for the client before us to leave. We somehow ended up discussing Konoha's politics on maternity and birth rate. I was to blame of course, I was a feminist at heart from my past life and this world had a lot of flaws on the subject.

"Oh, I know that the elders always want more clan babies. The Council regularly points out that the birth rates didn't pick up to the pre-war level, but all that they do against the problem is harassing women, pressuring those who are still single to marry or pressuring those who only have one child to pop more babies. They don't stop to consider why these women aren't making more babies of their own volition. They work on the assumption that they're just bad women who refuse to do their supposed 'duty' to their families and village."

I was in full rant. I rarely could afford to speak my mind, although I had a lot to say on many subjects. As an assistant I was supposed to stay quiet, but Rin was a friend and we were on the same wavelength.

She didn't seem to mind my spirited speech. "Why do you think they don't?"

"Well, maybe someone should ask _them_. There can be as many reasons as there are women after all, but I can imagine a few: the fact that women are expected to drop their job as soon as they have children, the absence of appropriate childcare for those who which to continue to work, the absence of support—"

I was interrupted by the spa's door banging open and a woman leaving briskly. I blinked at her back for a few seconds before realizing that was Nara Yoshino. She seemed agitated. I looked up to the masseur who stepped out next. She looked uneasy.

"She heard you and she suddenly grew upset," the woman admitted to me in a whisper.

Startled by the idea that I was responsible for Yoshino's mood, I glanced at Rin. "I'll be right back," I promised before I ran after Yoshino. I called her name, hoping I could catch her before she left the premises. "Yoshino-san, please, wait!" I insisted.

She froze not far from the door.

"Yoshino-san. What's wrong?" I asked gently, brushing her wrist.

"Nothing," she replied, "I'm just… a little tired, Maiko-chan, that's all."

"No," I said, surprising myself as much as her, "there is something more, I can tell."

I hadn't seen her in ages, but she looked tired indeed. She had put on weight and her eyes were ringed. This didn't look like temporary fatigue but something more complex. I hadn't forgotten Shikaku's frustration and their relationship troubles either. It seemed there truly was something peculiar going on.

"Look. This isn't the right place but maybe we could talk," I offered gently. "I'm free tomorrow morning. I could come for tea. What do you think?"

She looked ready to protest, to refuse my offer of help and hide behind her temper.

"Yoshino-san, please, I owe you so much." I did. First when I was in the Genin Corps, she had encouraged me. Then, when I was chuunin, she had given me my chance as her replacement, which had led me to my current dream job. "Let me be there for you. I won't force you to speak of anything you don't want to, let's just get some tea together, to catch up."

"Tea," she repeated. "Alright, I'd like that."

I smiled, relieved. "Good. I'll come to you tomorrow morning, at ten. Take care of yourself, Yoshino-san."

She nodded and left quietly. It was unlike her.

I went back to Rin and my massage, after which we went to have tempura. She chose the restaurant and admitted that she was compensating for years of never eating there because Kakashi didn't like anything fried. I teased her good-naturedly about the sacrifices she made for her teammates.

It was a really good evening. We learned a lot about each other. She became my closest friend, just like that. It was a sad proof of my absence of social life, but I supposed that was fine since she was the same. We were made for each other!

oOo

Despite a good evening, I hadn't forgotten Yoshino, or the fact that I had to visit my mother for my birthday before going to work this afternoon.

I had an hour left before going to the Nara Compound when there was a knock at my door. I opened it to find an ANBU waiting. He looked young, short and lean, with long brown hair.

"Kamizuki-san, you're summoned by the Council."

I frowned, bewildered. "Did something happen?"

"It's classified."

Oh, great, the famous excuse, so old and overused that it became a running joke in shinobi ranks. You didn't want to talk about something? Just said 'classified'.

I sighed. This better not made me late. Yoshino would be even more upset if I missed our rendez-vous. "Alright. Give me a second." I turned around to fetch my thigh holster in my bedroom. As I did so, I grabbed an elastic band to pull my hair in a low ponytail. I didn't have time for anything fancier. Finally, looking for my scarf because it was still chilly outside, I glanced back in my living room to see the ANBU had stepped into my apartment (without removing his shoes, the lout) and…

"What are you doing?"

He looked up calmly. "Admiring your traps. They're good." _For your level_ , was implied.

Suspicion slowly crept up in me. "Thank you, mh… sorry, what's your codename?"

"Zou."

I finished adjusting the holster around my thigh without looking away from him. "Zou is taller than you."

His attack was fast. So fast that if I hadn't expected it, there was nothing that I could have done. As it is, his kunai hit the door as I closed it with a bang. I heard a tag go off. Not an explosive tag, but a kind of powder or gas. Was he trying to knock me out? That wasn't really reassuring. I locked the door and pushed a dresser behind it, conscious that not much could stop an elite ninja from reaching his target.

As I did so, I was reminded vividly of what I was hiding in that dresser. What I was hiding all around my apartment in fact. They were memo, little notes with hidden meaning that wouldn't make much sense to anyone of this world, but that reminded me of important plot points. I had scattered them around in my books and files. At the time, I thought I was indulging my paranoia to ease my anxiety. It sure wasn't very practical with the number of times I had to find one note in particular and didn't remember where it was! Right now, I could have kissed past-me for my brilliance. Even if that guy — whoever he was and worked for — found one note, he wouldn't find them all and good luck to him to make sense of it!

In a very unexpected turn of event, the dresser started growing arms. I squeaked and ran to the other side of the room as I finally realized who I was dealing with. The Mokuton guy! The one who had worked for Root before switching loyalty! The one who had had so many names that I couldn't recall one in particular (in my notes, he was named Groot… don't judge, Groot is awesome).

I didn't have many options. Going out by the window wasn't one of it: it was trapped. That detail was probably the only thing that stopped Root from barging in this way, but they could have others waiting just outside if I made the mistake to disarm the trap.

Mokuton was so out of my league that I didn't even consider fighting.

But I could do a beacon! I had perfectly average reserves, but I had a very decent control: not enough to become a medic-nin but certainly enough for an universal call for help. Yes, I could do that. I clapped my hands together, closed my eyes and...

A branch spurted out of the floor and tried to ensnare me. I leapt out of the way, unconsciously coming closer to the window. That's when it burst and hands grabbed me, trying to drag me outside. I screamed, as much in fear as in pain because of the glass cutting me. I struggled against the hold, but snakes came down to ensnare me, tying me up tightly, their cold touch creeping me out. I screamed again in fear. Snakes! There were snakes everywhere! My bedroom was filled with branches slowly turning into snakes.

And they were talking! Whispering. Hissing. They were asking all sort of questions. If I didn't answer them, they were going to eat me bit by bit. Their fangs shined under the light and were ready to pierce right through me.

My chest hurt. Upper right shoulder. Left side. They were going to finish what they started. _Now_.

 _o_

 _After getting promoted to chuunin, at thirteen years old, I had been sent to the Messengers Corps. It was courier work, like I was familiar with, except for one detail: all the trips were out of Konoha, to the different outposts in Fire Country. Supplies, schedules, orders… we dealt with anything that wasn't urgent enough to be sent by carrier birds or sensitive enough to necessitate a team of field shinobi._

 _I had rarely left Konoha before that. For a year, I became extremely familiar with the Land of Fire, its outposts, its towns, its landscapes… After a few weeks of apprehension, I liked it. I had always been more fond of nature than cities, and I hadn't realized I missed this environment until I had it back._

 _Being newly promoted, I had been teamed with an experienced chuunin: Yamashiro Aoba. He had been infuriatingly condescending at first, when he learnt I came from the Genin Corps. After two missions together, he had stopped talking down to me. The change had been so brutal in our third mission together that I had given him a surprised glance. He had pushed his glasses higher on his nose and admitted: "I noted that your field promotion was deserved." It was as much of an apology as I would ever get. After that, our relationship was much more cordial. Yet, our collaboration in the Messengers Corps had a brutal end._

 _We had been sent to an outpost on Ame's border. We weren't at war with the closest nations (Suna and Iwa) anymore. It was just a supply run and a standard inspection of the hidden traps and stashes. It turned to hell when Orochimaru appeared at the tree house where we had been resting for the night._

 _It was early morning. The emergency stash had been resupplied. We were getting ready to leave. Fifteen minutes and our paths wouldn't have crossed._

 _Luck wasn't on our side._

 _I was sitting on a branch, putting on my shoes. Our third teammate, Togeito Tessen, was hiding our traces inside the tree house. Aoba was waiting for us at the bottom of the tree, adjusting his backpack._

 _The sannin appeared without warning a few steps away from Aoba. He looked a little messed up, his uniform torn and his pale skin scraped with blood, as if he had just left a difficult fight (and a difficult fight for a sannin was a death warrant for us)._

" _Orochimaru-sama!" Aoba cried out. "We weren't expecting you. Do you need help?"_

 _I had met Orochimaru only once before. It was one time too many. He was scary, even before defecting and becoming an overt psychopath. The Genin Corps had horror stories about him. We all agreed that he was somehow linked to the disappearances of children, no matter the absence of proof. It was just one of those things that seemed obvious to small fry and that was considered baseless slander by the higher-ups. As a rule, we agreed to never ever stay alone with him. The only time I had to give him a message, I had spent hours waiting for him to be in the company of someone I could trust — Jiraiya. I didn't make a lot of money that day (Kuma had taken a look at my task scroll and understood perfectly), but at least I didn't end up in a lab._

 _Seeing him again gave me goose bumps. Contrary to Aoba, who admired any elite shinobi, I knew exactly what he was capable of; what kind of monster hid behind all his skills and genius. To see him with a Konoha headband was more disturbing to me than reassuring. He was only hiding behind this pretence and right here, far from Konoha, it didn't mean much._

 _I chose to stay as far as I could. As I did so, a noise made me turn around to glance inside the tree house. An hawk had just landed on a pole dedicated to this purpose. I could see a message in its container with a red ribbon for emergency and a weird kunai tied to it, a three-pronged kunai, the Yondaime's signature weapon._

 _As Tessen went to check the message, I made a guess. An impulsive one, so far-fetched that it wouldn't have come to the mind of anyone without my foreknowledge._

 _My memories had never been cleared about when Orochimaru became a traitor._

 _In that moment, I knew._

 _I dropped from the tree, directly falling on Aoba who hadn't seen it coming and went to the ground under my weight. Snakes burst out of Orochimaru's sleeves. The attack meant for Aoba pierced my shoulder. Fangs bit me all over the chest. The pain was blinding. I heard myself scream and felt the contact with the ground, but I was unable to roll away to avoid another attack._

 _Even tired, Orochimaru was fast. Fortunately for me, Aoba wasn't too bad himself. Despite the shock of being attacked by a Sannin and the way I had thrown him to the side, he had the reflex to grab my ankle and pull me away from the line of fire. Orochimaru's second attack avoided any vital points once again. It went through my side, and I only was able to scream anew, my vision filled with fangs and reptilian eyes._

 _Was it a few seconds or more that followed? I couldn't say, whether because of a lapse of memory or because I passed out. The next thing I remembered was a flash of yellow._

 _I learned later that the message was a warning about Orochimaru going rogue and an order to summon the Hokage via his kunai if he was seen. Tessen, having heard us, had immediately done so._

 _For that, I took back what I said: luck was definitely on our side. Really, it was the story of my life (this one anyway): I probably gathered enough good karma to compensate my initial bad luck… or something._

 _I didn't see the fight. From what I heard, there wasn't much to see: as soon as Minato had appeared, Orochimaru had managed to flee by forcing his opponent to protect Aoba and I from a giant snake._

 _I vaguely remembered three faces peering down at me. The Hokage's bodyguards had followed him._

" _Oh, hell."_

 _Yeah, I was probably a sight to see with two holes in me and puncture wounds everywhere else._

 _I had difficulty breathing. The world was cold and painful… and slowly going darker._

" _She needs med-evac,_ _ **now**_ _."_

 _I couldn't tell you how it felt to be transported by the Flying Thunder Formation Technique. I don't remember it._

 _There was only pain._

 _o_

The snakes! They were grabbing me! Holding me down! No! I had to get away! Get away from their hissing!

"Maiko! Maiko! It's over. It's over! You're safe!"

No! They were still hissing! Oh kami, let me get away!

"Can't you knock her out?!"

"No, it's the worst thing to do to victims of a genjutsu attack. They can't distinguish illusions from reality or sleep from—"

"Let her go. She's panicking because you're holding her."

They weren't making any sense, this constant whistling was exhausting, but they let me go. For now.

I curled up as much as I could, protecting my chest and giving them as less surface to bite as I could. I couldn't help but whimper slightly. I just wanted it to be over. Death was less painful than this. Death was more merciful than this.

"Alright, she calmed down. Now how do we snap her out of this, Rin-san?"

"I could send a pulse of chakra to disrupt her chakra flow, but with that level of genjutsu it can be identified as an attack by the organism and set back the recovery. It would be better with someone familiar, with a chakra she could recognize, that she doesn't risk to identify as a threat. Anyone come to mind?"

"Her cousin seems like the best bet, but he was at the Chuunin Exams."

"Last report said they were a few hours away. We could send an hawk. Warn Hokage-sama of what happened and he could transport the cousin here right away."

"Do it. And in the meantime, ANBU Commander, you better find some answers. The Hokage will want to know who planned these simultaneous attacks. He's not the only one."

"Indeed, Shikaku-san."

oOo Bonus - Genma's PoV oOo

"What do you mean it's her birthday?" Genma sputtered. "You couldn't have said that _earlier_?!"

Izumo glanced at the tokubetsu warily. "I'm sorry, I didn't know you cared."

"She's a friend," Genma replied with a twirl of his senbon. "It's considerate to do something for a friend's birthday."

"I'm sure she won't mind if you're a little late. I'll give her my gift tomorrow after all."

Genma huffed. "Maybe, but I still need an idea." He looked at the cloudy sky and twirled his senbon once more. "Damn it, I'm bad at gifts." He blinked when he noticed an hawk flying in their direction. When it reached them, it turned around the Yondaime as it lost altitude.

The group of Konoha shinobi stopped as one and watched quietly as their Hokage accepted the message. The spike of Killing Intent was as short as it was deadly. The genin and chunin went down on bent knee, shaking like leaves. The jounin and ANBU froze, shivering. Gone was the amiable Hokage who had joked around with his young subordinates. His eyes were as sharp as a blade and his face as cold as stone.

Something bad had happened.

"Kamizuki-kun," the Yondaime called.

"Y-yes?" Izumo stuttered, quivering.

The Hokage appeared by his side. "Your cousin has been attacked. You're needed at the hospital right away. I'm transporting you. Guard Platoon, follow. ANBU, stay and maintain security for the rest of the group. Shibi-san, you're in charge. Don't delay."

A chorus of agreements answered him. Izumo couldn't speak, he glanced at Genma, wide-eyed with fear. His cousin, attacked?!

Genma didn't show any emotion, but his lip was bleeding.

* * *

 _At first, I wrote that Genma had broken his senbon in half but that's a little excessive for his poor teeth, isn't it?  
_

 _For what I asked in the previous chapter: thanks for giving me your opinion! My muse has decided: there will be some Kakashi added to the mix. I won't spoil you the details. ;p_


	6. Misery loves company

_**Triggers Warning:** trauma aftermath, discussion of depression _

* * *

The fabric of reality knit back together in an instant.

I jolted, breathless.

"Maiko-nee-chan? It's Izumo."

Immediately reaching for the source of that voice, I clung to him like a limpet with my arms around his shoulders and my face hidden against his neck. "Are they gone?" I whispered with a hoarse voice. My throat hurt. "The snakes. Are they gone?"

"Yes, nee-chan, They're gone. It's over." He brushed my hair gently.

I grabbed his shirt tightly and focused on taking regular breaths. Izumo smelt like sweat, forest and dirt, like someone who had traveled for a long time through Hi no Kuni's woods. It was familiar and reassuring.

"It was a genjutsu, nee-chan. You were attacked in your apartment," he said with a quivering voice. "Do you remember?"

"Anbu."

"Anbu?"

"There was an Anbu at the door. A cat mask, like Zou but not Zou. Then mokuton and snakes _everywhere_. They were hissing so many questions. I just wanted them to shut up."

"What kind of questions?" A voice asked.

"Sssh," I whispered. If people spoke, I couldn't listen for the hissing. The snakes might come back.

"Maiko-san, I know you've been through something difficult, but if you gave information to whoever attacked you, we need to know."

I shook my head against Izumo's shirt. "I didn't say a thing. Not a thing."

"Are you _sure_?"

"I kept my mouth shut. I didn't want the snakes to go in. Orochimaru, he has snakes who can go out of his hands and mouth, you know? That… that's just… Gonna throw up." I scrambled out of Izumo's embrace and leant over the edge of what I dimly recognized as a bed. A basin appeared and a pair of hands kept my hair out of my way as I emptied my stomach and tried to regurgitate my organs while I was it. When I stopped heaving, someone offered me a wet cloth and I wiped my face carefully. I was covered with cold sweat.

I finally looked around the room to discover it was quite full.

Great. How embarrassing.

Apart from Izumo sitting beside me and rubbing my back, there was Rin who put the basin away and offered me a gentle smile. She put her hand over my forehead and it glowed green before my nausea ebbed.

At the foot of the bed, the Yondaime was holding the metal rail with white knuckles. Despite that, when our eyes met, he gave me a slight encouraging smile.

On his left was the Jounin Commander with his arms crossed, and on his right the ANBU commander. The latter was the one asking me questions: his modified voice was characteristic of ANBU.

Then there was Genma, leaning against the wall near the door. His senbon was nowhere to be seen, but he was biting his scratched bottom lip and looking at his feet.

"Maiko-san. Can you give us a preliminary report?" The ANBU Commander insisted.

I made the hand sign for 'water' in Rin's direction. She quickly poured me a glass.

Once I had spit out most of the bad taste and drank enough to soothe my throat, I spoke: "I can try. It's… blurry. I can't say when the genjutsu started. Now that you tell me it was one, it seems obvious but it was… it looked real until… until snakes emerged from the furniture." I played with the wet cloth I had been given, looking down in shame as I murmured softly: "I suck at countering genjutsu."

"From what you're saying, it sounds like a very high level one. Progressive genjutsus are meant to lure the victim in a state where they won't even think of trying to counter it. It's the hardest type to resist. A-level."

At least, there was that.

Izumo's hand on my back helped me to focus on something else than the awful memories of cold bodies sliding on me as I related what happened.

"At no point you saw him making hand seals?"

"No."

"Did you see his eyes?"

"I… I can't recall noticing them in particular."

"Maiko-san," the Hokage stepped in. "You need to know that you weren't the only one attacked this morning."

I flinched. "W-who else?"

"There were several simultaneous attempts against clan compounds, mainly the Uchiha, the Senju, the Aburame and the Hyuuga, as well as the Hokage mansion," Shikaku explained. "The private archives seemed to be their targets, but all those attacks have been stopped before they could get anything — at least to our knowledge, controls are ongoing. Apart from minor injuries, you're the only victim. You're also the only individual targeted."

"They're clearly looking for information," the ANBU commander added. "That's why we need to know what they asked you and what they might have learn."

I pushed away free strands of hair from my sweaty face, trying to make the effort to remember, despite how queasy it made me. "I… It blurs in my head."

"That's a standard side-effect of powerful interrogation genjutsu," Rin explained. "Don't try to force it. Close your eyes. Pick up the words as they come. The important ones will come to you, sooner or later. Your mind just needs to sort it out and get over the trauma on its own time."

I followed her advice and pressed my hands against my eyes. After a long minute, I said: "Names. I remember… names. Orochimaru. Uchiha. Ame. Jiraiya… I… I don't remember the context."

"That's good enough for now," Minato decided. "Maiko-san, please, rest. You'll be debriefed again later. Genma will stay with you for a while."

The three high-ranked men were leaving the room when I remembered something. "Ah. Shikaku-san!"

The Jounin Commander halted in the doorway and replied before I could even ask: "Yoshino is aware you were attacked. She'll passed by when you're allowed visitors."

"Oh, thank you," I breathed.

The door closed behind him.

I looked at Izumo and frowned. "Wait… Weren't you supposed to come home tomorrow? Don't tell me I was in the genjutsu for a day!"

"No, no," Izumo and Rin denied at the same time.

"We were early and then Yondaime-sama got a message that you were hurt and he teleported us here," Izumo explained. "The rest of the group hasn't arrived yet."

"It's the afternoon, Maiko, only a few hours passed," Rin added.

"Oh." I relaxed slightly. "Well, it seemed like a day. I feel like shit." My hands were still shaking. In fact, I was shaky all over.

A snort came from the door. We turned toward Genma who looked up, unable to hide his lopsided smile.

"What are you doing over there? Come here and give me a hug, idiot," I grumbled.

"Ma'am. Yes, ma'am." Genma moved away from the wall, all graceful moves and languid steps. He went around the bed to sit on the other side and opened his arms. I leaned into him.

"Worst birthday ever," I sighed.

"No kidding," Genma said as he rubbed my back.

"It beats that time when I also spent most of the day in the hospital, right, Izumo?"

The boy groaned and hid his face behind his hands. "Nee-chan. You promised you wouldn't tell anyone about it."

I chuckled. "No details, but at least that time I wasn't the patient." I rolled my head on Genma's shoulder. It was strangely comfortable, apart from the aches. "Rin-chan. Why does it hurt… everywhere?" I rubbed my old scars distractedly. They were the worst.

"High-level genjutsu are straining on the body as much as on the mind. Your muscles tensed as you tried to fight the illusions. An hot shower could help."

"Can I have one?" I asked hopefully. I felt filthy.

"Yes, you have a private bathroom," she pointed out with a wave toward a door.

"I can get you clothes from your apartment," Izumo offered.

I accepted gratefully.

He left quickly, eager to be useful.

Walking to the bathroom with sore muscles was literally a pain, but the hot water felt heavenly, at least until an optical illusion made me mistake the handrail for a snake. I screamed and cowered in the corner, curling up with my knees to the chest.

"Maiko?!" Genma called from just outside the door, the handle going down.

"I— It's fine! Just… just my imagination," I stuttered, now feeling stupid on top of feeling horrible.

"Darling, is it alright if I leave the door ajar?"

"Y-yeah."

The door opened just enough for him to better hear me but not see me. "Do you want to talk to me while you finish?"

I stood up slowly but didn't use the handrail to do so. "A-alright... You know, I wasn't scared of many things but snakes are definitely on top of the list now."

"It's still better than little spiders."

I smiled a little and slowly started to wash again. "Are you afraid of spiders, Genma?"

"Not me, but a friend who I should not name because he made me swear to take this to my grave."

"Is there an animal you're afraid of?"

"An animal? Mh… I had this mission once near a swamp. An alligator nearly bit my foot off. I hadn't seen it at all until it attacked. Those things are nasty."

I chuckled a little more freely and rubbed my arms. "Lucky for you, there isn't any near Konoha."

"Yeah, once was enough. You know, Izumo and Kotetsu did well at the Chunin Exams."

I straightened a little at the reminder. "Really?"

"Yes. They both beat their first opponent before getting eliminated. It's not official yet, but the Yondaime complimented them. Their promotion is pretty much a given."

"That's wonderful!" Finally some good news on this awful day. "How was Suna?"

"Hot. Dry. Lots of sand."

"No kidding. Thank you so much, I wouldn't have guessed," I deadpanned with a roll of my eyes and a fond smile.

"Ok. What about: boring, stuffy and poisonous?"

"You're a real tour guide, Genma. It's incredible how I can imagine the place now, really."

"I know, I know. You're welcome. At least you appreciate it. Hokage-sama wasn't convinced by my first overview of the village. I don't get why."

"Astonishing, indeed. By now he should be used to your dubious humor."

"You love it."

"I'm not your boss."

"Such a shame. I'd take your orders so well."

I turned off the water and grabbed the two towels Rin had provided. The first went around my long hair, and the second around my chest once I had dried my feet and walked out of the shower. I went to the door and opened it a little more. When Genma glanced at me, I went on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. "Thank you," I whispered with a small smile before going back in and closing the door behind me.

oOo

Izumo had brought my comfiest pyjamas and I lounged in them without any shame.

"Are all your clothes green? Seriously," Genma asked, amused.

"We're in Konoha. I'm just keeping up with the theme." The flowers and leaves pattern was super cute. No shame.

Rin had left to see her other patients, but she had promised that a psychiatrist specialized in genjutsu aftermath would pass by soon. Izumo had needed a little more convincing to leave, but I had reminded him that his best friend would worry and that had done the trick.

I wanted some quiet, and yet I also dreaded being left alone, which was why I didn't bother to ask Genma to give me space. He was content to linger around the room in silence when he sensed I didn't want to speak. He was observant about body language.

I was staring outside the window, lost in thought, when there was a knock at the door. I told them to come in, expecting the psychiatrist.

"Aoba," I breathed in surprise when he walked in. He was a tokubetsu jounin now. His promotion was barely a few months old. He had found his vocation in the Intelligence Division, even if it had taken him awhile to get there.

"Maiko. I came as soon as I heard," he said, pushing his sunglasses back up on his nose.

I smiled softly. "Stop frowning, you'll get wrinkles," I teased him. It was familiar banter coming from me, and he relaxed slightly at my casualness.

He nodded at Genma before coming closer to my bed. "You can't expect me not to worry. The rumors talked about snakes."

I shivered despite myself and rubbed the scar on my shoulder. "It wasn't Orochimaru. At least… I don't think so. I don't know. It was just a genjutsu, not actual snakes."

"With a high level one, it doesn't make much difference." He squeezed my hand gently. "I can't stay but if you need to talk about it later, you know where to find me."

"Thanks." I squeezed back and smiled before he stepped out of the room.

A few seconds passed before Genma observed calmly: "You slept with him."

I chuckled. Trust Genma to deduce those things. "Yes. A few months ago. He was my first and somehow that doubled his very manly protective instincts." I laughed about it now, but I had to have a very serious discussion about it with Aoba, to set him straight. "We weren't together." His bad habits would drive me crazy. "But he's a good friend."

"And a good lay?"

I looked at him through my lashes. "I don't kiss and tell." He was decent. I had to show him a few things, and he had been too eager to please to wonder how I knew about it when I was still technically a virgin.

Another knock at the door stopped Genma from replying. This time it was the psychiatrist, a fifty years old Yamanaka who adjusted her glasses on her nose when she noticed my bodyguard and asked him to leave to give me some privacy.

I had seen a psychiatrist in my previous life too. The process wasn't much different: they asked you how you felt (tired, on edge, terrified of snakes, afraid of going home) and let you talk it out with patient and sympathetic faces and noises.

Their diagnosis and what they considered acceptable for work were a little different. The kind of trauma I went through today (mental torture, let's call it what it was) would have gotten me weeks of rest and therapy once upon a time. You could guess that it wouldn't be the same conclusion in this world...

"You seem well adjusted and very self aware, that's excellent. Of course, some after-effects are to be expected, and I suspect that it didn't sink in perfectly yet, but you should be able to deal with it after a few days of rest. I'll suggest two days off before your debriefing and a resumption of work the following day. If you need it, don't hesitate to ask for an appointment at any time."

And that was it. Coddling wasn't a thing in this universe.

I actually felt worse after she left than before. Maybe because it _did_ start to seek in. I felt cold, and I pulled the covers over me to keep back shivers. When Genma walked back in, he took a look at me and came to sit by my side, allowing me to cuddle against his side without a word.

With my eyes closed, I focused on relaxing. His reassuring presence helped.

When someone knocked fifteen minutes later, I felt better and straightened to greet my new guest.

"Yoshino-san! Please, come in." I glanced at Genma who left again without needing to be asked.

Yoshino didn't look much better than yesterday. She sat down on the only chair of the room and smiled at me nonetheless. "Maiko-chan. It's good to see you. Shikaku's message was cryptic on the details. I was worried."

"I'm better now. I'm sorry I couldn't make it to our rendez-vous, but if you wish to, I'm willing to listen now."

"No, I don't—"

"Yoshino-san," I interrupted her, looking her in the eye and silently conveying my resolve to get it out of her. "Talk to me. Please." A distraction was exactly what I needed now. Dealing with the problems of others was always easier for me than dealing with my own. It might not be the healthiest choice, but I was going to have ample time to deal with my own demons once I would be alone.

For a long minute, I thought she would refused, but she finally pulled her chair closer and leaned on the mattress before looking around her. "The last time I was in one of those rooms," she started in a low voice, "after Shikamaru's birth… I had Shikaku, his mother and mine all around me, all happy and celebrating… and yet… I just felt nothing. Nothing else than fatigue. And it has been like that since," she confessed in a whisper.

I stared at her, aghast.

Postpartum depression. I had been expecting everything but that.

"Did you… tell Shikaku?"

She shook her head. "At first, I thought I could deal with it on my own, then there was the mess of October tenth and he already had too much to worry about. After that, I just… it affected our relationship and the one I have with Shikamaru. His clan and his friends started talking, calling me a bad mother. I got irritated over the smallest things and screamed at Shikaku whenever he tried to breach the subject…" Now that she had started talking, she seemed unable to stop, hiding her face in her hands but speaking up nonetheless. "My mother passed away two years ago, when I thought I was getting a little better. I had no-one else to talk to. Shikaku's mother has to help so much with dealing with Shikamaru that she looks down on me, and I don't want to make it worse. I lost touch with my friends, and the wives of Shikaku's friends they're… they're such good mothers. It just seems so natural to them that… I started to hate them."

The sobbing came quietly, like she was used to hiding it, but when I carefully held her through it, the sobs became louder and shook her.

After my initial feeling of helplessness, I remembered the meeting with the psychiatrist I just had. Two days of rest. How ridiculous was that? What a pathetic approach of psychological distress! I grew angry against this society that pushed people to hide their suffering until they broke, that convinced everyone that if you weren't able to conform to their high standards you were weak and worthless.

Sometimes, I hated this world. Sometimes, I dreamed of a world where children soldiers were a hideous rarity and not the norm, a world where torture wasn't a thing I had to worry about. Then, I remembered the promise I had made to myself when I was a child listening to propaganda in an Academy teaching how to kill: I wanted a better world, so I was going to shape it, all around me, piece by piece.

I let Yoshino cry all these tears that she had kept at bay, rubbing her back gently.

Then she started babbling: "I don't know… I don't know how to do this. I'm such a bad mother. Shikamaru doesn't like me. I never know what to do around him. I get frustrated all the time. I tried to compensate by dealing with the clan, but they think I'm shirking my duties to my family. They look down on me. I'm… so, so tired and… worthless."

"No," I protested vehemently. "No, you're not. You're strong. You pushed through three years of depression all alone and still you tried your best, you kept going. You're so strong, Yoshino-san. I…" The tears came up so suddenly that they took me by surprise. "I admire you." I dried my tears with my sleeves as best as I could.

Yoshino looked up, her own tears calming down as she watched me uncertainly, probably wondering why I was reacting this way.

I meant it. Three years dealing with those feelings and situations she was describing seemed suddenly far worse to me than those stupid hissing snakes.

Yoshino pulled a tissue for each of us from her bag. We composed ourselves quietly.

"You… you don't look down on me?" She asked, staring at her hands. "What a mess I must look like to you, after being so sure of myself at work."

"No. Never." I leaned forward to squeeze her hands. "You helped me when I needed it. Let me do the same for you."

oOo

It was early evening when Yoshino and I walked into her house. After I had been discharged from the hospital, I managed to convince Genma he could go rest since I was sleeping at the Nara compound tonight. It was a safe place.

I helped Yoshino prepare the guest room then diner. We spoke softly, of her feelings, her worries, the challenges of caring for a young child in Konoha, of being a kunoichi who was expected to give up her work as soon as she had a child, especially in the clans. Everything she told me about clans incited me to stay as far away as possible from them, and the Nara clan was one of the most laid-back! I wouldn't ever consider marrying in the Uchiha or the Hyuga. That sounded like misogynist hell.

At seven in the evening, Yoshino's mother-in-law dropped off Shikamaru with a very cold "he has already eaten" before leaving without a goodbye.

I was waiting in the living room. When the three years old stepped inside, he barely glanced at me before sprawling on the couch. I looked at Yoshino, who nodded slowly.

"Shikamaru-kun. I'm Kamizuki Maiko, a friend of your parents. I'd like to speak to you about something important."

He shifted slightly to open an eye in my direction and made a small grunt.

I sighed and went to lift him up. He groaned his disapproval but didn't resist: I was doing all the work. Once we were sitting face to face, I lifted his chin and looked him in the eye. "Listen. Your mother asked me to talk to you about this because it's too hard for her to explain it herself but it's important, for both of you, that you listen. Alright?"

A spark of curiosity kept his eyes opened and he glanced at Yoshino, who was sitting a little further. She managed to smile and nod slightly. He looked back at me and waited.

I did my best to explain clearly but without too much details what Yoshino went through. She didn't want me to at first, but I had managed to convince her that Shikamaru was too smart and aware to keep him in the dark without repercussions.

"It's not easy for you either, I know. Your mother feels really bad about not being able to take care of you like she wants to, but she is going to do her best to do better for now on, alright? It will just take time for her to _really_ feel better, so all we're asking from you is that you're a little patient," I concluded.

Shikamaru had listened carefully during my explanation. His eyes went from me to his mother regularly before he focused fully on me. "Okaa-san is going to feel better?"

"She will, if everyone helps her a little bit."

"How do I help?" He asked very seriously.

I smiled, pleased by his response. "When she does something you like, you tell her. If she does something you don't like _and_ that you think isn't fair, you tell her too _but_ you tell her gently and explain why. If you'd like her to do something in particular, you ask her nicely. If she asks something from you, try to do it; if you don't, talk to her about why not. The best way for you two to understand each other better is always for you to talk. Do you think you can do that?"

He sighed. "It's troublesome to talk."

"Believe me, I know. I have to talk to people every day at work and that's, _urgh_ , the worst," I grumbled, making a frowning face at the thought of the most annoying people I had to deal with. "But you know what is even more troublesome?"

He tilted his head in a silent question.

"When people scream and fight. Am I right?"

"Yeah."

"The best way to avoid that is to talk before it gets worse."

Shikamaru thought it through and nodded slowly. "I guess I can try to talk more."

I beamed and patted his head. "That's the spirit, little genius! I'm going to let you and your mother alone for a few minutes now."

When I stepped outside of the living room, I discovered Shikaku standing in the hallway. I froze. We looked at each other silently before he tilted his head toward the garden.

I closed my haori more tightly around me as we walked into the inner courtyard. "Did you hear everything?"

"Enough to understand," he sighed, burying his hands in the pockets of his pants and looking up at the moon playing hide and seek with the clouds. "I was an idiot."

"Because you believed your family and friends when they told you that she was just a bad mother?" I asked, unmoved by the intensity of his stare when he turned back to me. "It's easier, isn't it? To just… judge people." I moved closer and patted his arm. "Don't beat yourself up. Yoshino-san told me you tried to help and comfort her when you could and she appreciated it. She just wasn't in the right place to accept it at the time."

"And she is now?"

"I believe so. We talked a lot. I think it helped her to evacuate the pressure she felt."

"The pressure?" Shikaku frowned. I could easily guess what he was thinking. Did he pressure his wife without his knowledge? Someone else? Who?

"Social pressure is constant and invisible, what's more, it's internalized. The more she didn't feel good and the more she beat herself up over it."

The wind blew, making me shiver. Shikaku stepped closer, shielding me from the gust.

"When I was told that you were going to sleep here, I thought Yoshino made the offer to help you," Shikaku said, watching me intently. "Why is it that you're the one to help when you're the one hurt this morning?"

My hair flew around me. I angled my face in the wind's direction to keep the strands away and stared at the trees swaying. "Helping another is a good way to heal oneself." An owl's call sounded out, not far. We were close to the forest. "It gives hope and purpose. It puts things in perspective."

Some noises attracted our attention toward the patio, where Yoshino was carrying Shikamaru in her arms with the boy's head on her shoulder. She had pulled down her shirt's collar to free a shoulder, to get some skin on skin contact with her son, like I had advised her to facilitate bonding. Shikamaru was bundled in a blanket. He looked extremely comfortable, ready to doze.

Shikaku's face softened significantly, and he walked up to them.

I took my leave as discreetly as possible when they hugged each other. They needed some private time to come to terms with this.

Fortunately, the guest room was far enough from the others to allow everyone some privacy. I hadn't eaten dinner with this turn of events, but when I settled on the futon, far from anything that could turn into a snake, I realized I wasn't really hungry.

This twenty-third day of March had been a right mess. It dragged on as sleep evaded me, but I felt at peace, knowing that I had helped somehow.

oOo Bonus - The Nara's PoV oOo **  
**

"You shouldn't have let the Hokage steal her," Yoshino whispered.

"Sage, don't remind me," Shikaku whispered back with a soft groan. "It's not like I had a choice, but Minato owes me so much, the lucky bastard."

Yoshino giggled, and Shikaku glanced at her fondly, pleased to hear what had become a rare sound these last years. They exchanged a smile over Shikamaru's head. The moon was lighting their bedroom just enough for them to see each other. They were lying down in bed with their son in between.

"It was her birthday today," he said, remembering Genma's comment.

"Really? We should give her something."

He hummed in agreement.

She hit him lightly. "That's the part where you make a suggestion, lazy bum, or else I'll buy her a whole kimono set."

"You could empty the Nara's vault and I would agree."

Yoshino faltered, understanding the unsaid statement that any gift would be worth it for the help Maiko had given them. "Well, your mother might not approve."

"Let me handle her." Shikaku reached for her hand and intertwined their fingers. "I'll speak to her."

Thankful, Yoshino tilted her head to hide the tears gathering at the corner of her eyes. "... I'm buying Maiko-chan a yukata."

Shikaku hummed peacefully. "She would like floral patterns."

"In soft green and pink," Yoshino agreed.

* * *

 _ **N/A:** A kimono set, a traditional one in silk with all the accessories, is really expensive (nowadays, they're often rented in Japan). A yukata is more affordable._

 _This chapter has actually been cut in two parts with the following one. There was too much drama so I added more cuteness (hi, Shikamaru, another favorite character of mine who decided to pop up and be adorable) to balance it and it just... grew. I hope you like it because I was almost pulling my hair while I worked on those._


	7. Company chases away misery

**Triggers warning:** _excessive alcohol consumption leading to mild belligerent behavior, trauma aftermath_

* * *

The following morning, after a few hours of sleep only, I woke up groggy to find a kid curled up by my side. When I poked him, Shikamaru groaned and blinked an eye open. "Mom said to wake you up for breakfast," he mumbled.

I chuckled and brushed his long hair aside, away from his face. "Is that so? And when did she say that?"

"Dunno. It was a drag to wake you so I just lied down there."

I giggled, grabbed my haori to pull it on over my pyjamas, and kneeled to lift him in my arms. "Aww, my own teddy bear!"

"I am not," he protested but didn't try to get out of my hold to walk by himself.

"Yoshino-san, Shikaku-san," I said cheerfully when I stepped into the dining room. "I'm keeping your son. I think he'll make a really good teddy bear."

The couple looked up with amused smiles when their son groaned.

"Mom, your friend is even weirder than dad's," he grumbled.

"Aww, I'm being compared to Inoichi-san and Chouza-san. What an honor!" I sat down at the kotatsu and pulled Shikamaru on my lap.

He didn't try to escape but insisted: "It wasn't a compliment."

"Sure thing, Shikamaru-kun. Did you sleep well?"

"It was fine. Mom and dad's bed is comfy."

I hummed but didn't comment on that detail.

"You?" He asked, when his mother raised an eyebrow to remind him about that silly thing called politeness.

"It was okay. No snakes. Which is good."

"Why would there be snakes in your bed?"

"Well, some of them were mean to me yesterday, you see."

"Is that why you slept there?"

"Yep," I replied cheerfully, "deer are good at stomping on snakes."

"Deer are smart," he replied very seriously.

I chuckled and rested my chin on top of his head.

Breakfast was peaceful and exactly what I needed after yesterday.

Yoshino went with Shikamaru to the bathroom as soon as he finished eating, leaving me alone with Shikaku. The Nara clan's head pushed a small box toward me. I opened it to discover dried leaves.

"Herbal tea," he explained, "for sleep. Grown by the Yamanaka, prepared by the Nara."

I smiled softly at the gift. "Thank you." I was going to make good use of it in the coming days, no doubt.

oOo

When I took my leave after Shikaku had already gone to work, Yoshino hugged me on the doorstep and said: "Thank you for everything. You'll always be welcome here."

"Take care of yourself, Yoshino-san," I replied with a pat on her shoulder.

I went to my aunt and cousin's house before going back to my apartment. Izumo opened the door.

"Hey. I was wondering if you could accompany me home. You know, in case there are any snakes left," I said with humor.

Not fooled for a second, Izumo immediately agreed. He was carrying a bag as we walked and I glanced at it curiously.

"You don't think we were going to forget your birthday just because yesterday was awful, right?" He replied to my silent question. "On the contrary, we have to compensate!"

"Aww!"

He let me glance inside the bag.

"Aunt Izuna's food!" I clapped my hands cheerfully. "Are these maki? Uh? Are they? are they?!"

"Yes. And yes, there are shrimp ones and salmon ones."

"Yes!" I walked up the stairs with more enthusiasm than I had before knowing what to expect for lunch. I was still sore all over from the genjutsu aftermath, and I moved slowly. Izumo was kind not to comment on it.

"Well, you look more lively than I expected." Genma was waiting in front of my door with an ANBU by his side.

I slowed down at the sight before getting a grip on myself and sauntering forward. "Shrimp and salmon maki from Izuna-oba-san!"

"It's her favorite food, apart from desserts," Izumo explained helpfully.

I nodded very seriously before turning to face the ANBU. He had a dog mask and a white cloak with a hood covering his hair. "May I help you?"

He pulled a mask from his cloak. "Is that what the individual who attacked you was wearing?"

I flinched. "Yes."

The mask disappeared right away. "That's all I needed to know. Thank you." He bowed his head and left.

Genma put a hand on my shoulder and squeezed gently as I pulled myself together. I cleared my throat and opened the front door.

"So," Izumo started to distract me, "do you want your gift now or after lunch?"

"Good question," Genma said, removing a package from one of his pockets. "I can't stay for lunch, sorry."

"That's fine. Gimme!" I ordered with grabby hands.

I busied myself with unwrapping my presents while Izumo whispered to Genma: "When she acts like that, it's to distract herself. You should go along with it or she's going to cry."

"Izumo-kun, you need to work on your discretion," I pointed out distractedly just before I unfold the fan he offered me. "Oooh, it's so pretty!" A forest of bamboo was hand painted on a white and silver background of clouds. The details were exquisite.

"I wanted to buy you one of the tessen they are so famous for, but we were banned from the weaponsmith district," Izumo explained.

"It's perfect!" I insisted cheerfully, fanning myself with it and admiring the shift of the colors. "I love it. Tessen are less pretty anyway." Mine were plain black and silver. You didn't need anything fancy for something which was going to end up covered in blood.

I pulled Izumo into a hug and kissed his cheek before unwrapping Genma's gift.

"Before you protest it's too much, I just want to point out that this comes from Rin, Minato-sama and me. I asked her help, we noticed this in a shop and he popped up behind us when we were discussing the price so…" Genma scratched his jaw sheepishly. "We ended up buying it together."

Now frankly curious, I pulled out the famous gift.

Stud earrings. Long ones shaped like leaves, that followed the bottom of the earlobe and wouldn't be a risk during a fight. That didn't seem outlandish at first, but they were shining like emeralds and gold. "Are you crazy?" I squeaked.

"Do you like them?"

"Of course! They're gorgeous! But that's not—"

"Good. That's all I wanted to know. See ya!" And he disappeared in a shunshin, leaving me sputtering.

"He knows you well," Izumo pointed out, amused.

Damn it.

oOo

After being left alone (it had taken a while to convince Izumo, but as a soon to be promoted chunin, he had other things to do), I looked around me to what had once been a safe place, my little haven. It wasn't the case anymore. It felt hostile and foreign.

At first glance, nothing had changed, even in my bedroom. The dresser, the window and the wooden floor were intact, proof that most of the attack had been a genjutsu and not real. My books and papers seemed untouched. Everything seemed in its place.

I closed the shutters before doing a more thorough inspection lighted by a torch. It wasn't paranoia when they already tried to get you.

I removed every memo from their hiding place and spread them over the ground, counting them twice just to be sure. They were all there. I sighed in relief, just before I clenched my fists as I realized that they could have simply copy any of those memo and put them back where they found them.

I groaned in desperation. There was no comfort to be found in 'what if' and worst case scenarios. I had become complacent, and my secrets might be compromised. It was better to operate under the assumption that they were.

Nervously tapping on my knees, I stared at the memos, looking for a solution, an idea. Unfortunately, the only thing currently in my mind was anxiety slowly swelling into a panic attack. Filled with a desperation I hadn't felt in years, I gathered the papers and sealed them into the most secure scroll I had — a gift from Hokage-sama, to protect any classified documents that I had to move outside of the office. I hid the scroll in my cleavage and pulled on the most concealing shirt and pullover I had. I grabbed my coat and nearly ran out of the door.

I felt extremely jittery, ready to burst into tears at the slightest noise or hit the first person to touch me inadvertently. It was for the best that my weapons weren't in immediate reach under my coat. Stabbing innocent people was frowned upon, even under stress. Something about self-control or what not…

I used the back alleys, quiet and deserted, to avoid social interactions, and reached a quieter part of Konohagakure, filled with more trees. I passed by the old Senju compound — what was left of it — and walked under the signboard stating "Senju Nursing Home". I stepped into the lobby discreetly, nodded at the few people who noticed me, and directly went down a familiar path.

My mother's room was on the second floor. It wasn't anything fancy, I couldn't afford more, but I always made sure that she had everything she could wish for, putting her needs above my own without hesitation. She was my mom.

Of course, I once had another mom, who raised me well and loved me very much. I remembered her, in that vague way that I remembered the rest of my previous life. I still loved her.

I had enough love for two moms, as different as they were.

The first one wouldn't have let me anywhere near a blade that wasn't for cooking. The second one put a dull kunai in my hand at six years old, taught me how to throw it and where to hit if anyone ever tried to hurt me.

My second mom was a kunoichi, through and through. She had once been a tokubetsu jounin specialized in infiltration. I had never been able to lie to her or hide anything from her. She read most people like an open book.

I had inherited her ordinary-looking appearance. Dark hair, beautiful and docile, easy to put in any hairdo, but common. An oval face with symmetric but mundane features. Eyebrows a little thick but nicely shaped. A body slightly curvy but not so much that it became impractical. Tall but not too tall. The most important difference between us was the color of our eyes. Hers were green. Mine were grey with only a circle of dark green on the inside.

Unless we tried to be noticed, we were unremarkable. For an infiltrator, it was a gift. For someone trying to stay inconspicuous like me, it was just as well.

Midori was reading in bed when I came in. She took a look at me and frowned. "What happened?"

"Do I look that bad?" I asked with a weak chuckle.

"You look jittery, you're supposed to be at work, and you didn't come to see me for your birthday yesterday," she listed mercilessly.

I huffed but didn't deny it. I closed the door then the shutters.

Midori put away her book and crossed her hands over the sheets. "Alright, it's bad." She patted the bed by her side. I threw my coat over a chair before crawling in her arms, hiding my face in her chest and shaking slightly as I hold back the tears and anxiety.

"Ssh, let it go, sweetheart. Let it go," she whispered, brushing my hair.

The dam broke. I sobbed for a few minutes, at ease thanks to the familiarity of her scent and embrace.

Once I felt a little better, less ready to panic, I told her everything. The most secret details were conveyed via hand signs. Paranoia was still staring over my shoulder.

Her hold tightened when she heard of the genjutsu, but she stayed quiet and attentive.

I told her of my fears, of my incertitude. "I don't know what to do anymore, okaa-san," I confessed. "Should I tell _him_?"

Midori was the only one who knew the truth. She was my only confidante in a world that couldn't be trusted. She understood when I referred to the Yondaime without naming him and how desperate I must be to consider it.

Don't get me wrong, I loved Minato, but despite all his greatness, I couldn't trust him like I trusted my mother. There were too many things to take into account when you were Hokage, your moral code was only one of them. One of the greatest shinobi alive he might be, but it didn't make him infallible or flawless.

"Mai-chan," Midori replied solemnly, "the first thing you have to remember is to never ever make a decision in a state of panic unless it's a life or death situation. You're going to take time to think this through. You won't make any rash decision. If you have to tell secrets to anyone, it must be with the certainty that this is the _right_ choice."

"It might not be life or death _right now_ , but what if—"

"Should anything unexpected and irrevocable happens," she interrupted calmly, "you're going to take precautionary measures to ensure that your enemies don't came out victorious."

I straightened and frowned thoughtfully, repeating quietly: "Precautionary measures…"

The scroll was resting uncomfortably between my breasts. With all the information it contained, the Yondaime could change the fate of the world. I had chosen to give him data bits by bits to minimize the risk of information being compromised, but if anything happened to me before I could tell him the whole story… Yes, I had to find a way for him to know everything somehow, but only if I had no other choice.

Midori squeezed my hand and smiled softly. "That's it. That's my daughter. Thinking it through and not letting anyone beat her."

I looked down, embarrassed. "Sorry for panicking…"

"Don't, love. Don't apologize for coming to me when you need it. I know I'm not much of a mother, but I'll always be there for you when you need me."

I fought back the tears and blinked them away before hugging her tightly. "Don't say that. You're the best mother I could have hope for in this world."

She rubbed my back and we basked in each other's presence for a while.

"Do you want me to take you for a tour in town?" I asked when I felt more composed.

"I would love that. It has been far too long."

I felt a little guilty at that. I tried to come every Sunday to keep her company, but I didn't have as much free time as one would believe for someone who always was in the village instead of gone in missions. I was grateful that Aunt Izuna came several times a week.

I brought her a sweater and a coat before I pushed the wheelchair next to her bed and kept it in place as she pulled herself from one surface to the other. She grumbled at her legs, moving them without gentleness. I winced when her foreleg hit metal. Just because she didn't feel pain anymore didn't mean that she wasn't hurting herself. I stayed quiet nonetheless, respecting her independence and her stubbornness in dealing with her condition as she wanted. I put a blanket over her lap, and we left the room. Before leaving the building, I warned her carers that she would be gone for lunch.

Moving around Konohagakure with a wheelchair wasn't really easy, but I had gotten used to it. I knew the places to avoid and those Midori could enjoy freely. We went around a park for most of the morning as we talked of nothing and everything — mostly my job and the funny or annoying anecdotes I had collected.

The first problem came up at lunch, when we passed by a tonkatsu restaurant and Midori pointed at it determinedly. "I want to eat there."

I stared at the front steps and sighed. "Of course you do."

"May I be of assistance, fellow kunoichi?!" A voice boomed just behind us.

I flinched, but I already knew who to expect when I turned around. Maito Gai was staring at us with a megawatt smile.

"Hello, Gai-san," I greeted him.

"Maiko-san! And who is your youthful companion?"

"My mother, Kamizuki Midori. Okaa-san, this is Maito Gai, a jounin and taijutsu expert."

"It's a pleasure to meet the honorable mother of the most hardworking assistant in Konoha!" Gai shouted with a thumbs-up.

Midori chuckled, took Gai's hand and patted it gently. "What a delightful young man. My daughter and I would be pleased if you could help me overcome those dreadful stairs."

"Of course, Kamizuki-san! We shall vanquish those stairs together or I'll climb up the temple's thousand steps twice!" He promised before trying to lift Midori in his arms.

I tapped him on the shoulder before mom could hit him with her hidden tessen (she got mean when she thought anyone was disrespectful). "The wheelchair, Gai-san. Lift the wheelchair, not my mother."

"Of course! My apologies, Kamizuki-san, Maiko-san! How insensitive of me!" He immediately rectified his mistake, and I had to rush forward to open the door for him. He didn't seem bothered at all by the heavy weight of the metal contraption. "There you go, Kamizuki-san! Shall I come back in an hour to help you on the way out after your lunch?"

"Ah, thank you Gai-san, but—"

"That would be so kind of you!" Midori interrupted me with a bright smile.

"We don't want to impose," I finished, holding back a sigh.

"Not at all, Maiko-san! I'll be there in an hour! Have a most enjoyable lunch!" He said with a thumbs up before disappearing in the crowd.

I tilted my head at Midori, unimpressed by her cheerful smile. "Okaa-san," I sighed.

"He's so entertaining!"

I shook my head. "You're a menace when you're bored."

oOo

This evening, I was getting ready for a sleepless night after finally eating Aunt Izuna's delicious food, when there was a knock at the door. I froze and stared at it distrustfully before shouting: "If you're an ANBU, I'm not opening!"

"It's Genma!" was shouted back.

With a huff, I grudgingly opened the door. "What d'you want?" I grumbled. I wasn't feeling social, and I wasn't exactly fit to be seen either (those pyjamas were comfy, alright?).

Genma leaned against the doorway and watched me knowingly. "Drinks with friends or turning around in your bed. Your preference?"

I tilted my head. "... When you put it like that…" I sighed because, damn it, I knew what was the best choice, but I didn't want to! And now I was whining... I really needed to get out. "Give me a minute to change."

"I was expecting more resistance," Genma admitted as he followed me in.

"Just because I don't do traumatic missions doesn't mean I don't have a clue how to deal with trauma," I replied as I pushed the door of my bedroom half-closed. "There is a reason I went to the Nara's place yesterday or didn't spend most of the day here. Just a warning: I won't be the best company tonight." I grabbed the first clean thing that looked appropriate for a social outing and barely noticed that it was the grey low-cut kimono top that had been banned from work.

"We don't expect you to be, sweetheart. We're here for you, not the other way around."

"Who's we?"

"It was just supposed to be us, Raidou and Rin but Kakashi invited himself and Gai followed."

"Sage," I breathed, "I thought I had my fill of Gai for the day… Don't tell me he gets worse when he drinks?" I jumped into black leggings, pulling and grumbling until it fit, and left my hair down.

"Eh… Not really. He doesn't get drunk. That guy has the constitution of a bear. Don't ever try to outdrink him. Even Kakashi knows better than to accept a challenge on that."

I walked out of the bedroom once presentable. "That would never cross my mind. I'm a lightweight and I don't like to get wasted."

I grabbed my coat, put on boots and left behind my apartment without a second thought.

I wasn't fond of drinking, but it definitely beat behind scared of the shadows in my room. Especially when I had Genma on my right, Kakashi on my left and Rin in front of me to distract me and, in Genma's case, to comfort me by letting me lean on his shoulder. I was tipsy in less than an hour and engaged in yet another feminist conversation with Rin. When Genma chuckled, tremors going from his arm to mine, I asked petulantly: "What?"

"You're a belligerent drunk. I hadn't imagined that," he admitted with a grin.

"Damn right, I am," I grumbled, "and if that dude over there won't stop bothering that poor civilian, I'm going to go and punch him!" I pointed at a shinobi at the bar. A few seconds later, he leaned way too close to the poor woman who had been left alone by her kunoichi friend for just a few minutes. "Alright, that's it! I'm gonna punch him!" I declared, putting a hand on Kakashi and Genma's shoulders to support myself as I stood up.

Genma laughed, apparently extremely entertained by my bellicose behavior. Gai commented admiringly about my youthful spirit. Only Rin tried to stop me from making a scene: "Maiko-chan! Maiko-chan! Sit down, you're going to hurt yourself!"

"Nope! He deserves to be punched! I'm gonna punch him!" I decided very determinedly.

"Kakashi, for Kami's sake, stop her or she'll regret this tomorrow!"

"Maa, it's just starting to get interesting, Rin…"

"Kakashi!"

"Alright, alright. Maiko-san, sit," Kakashi ordered. With a sharp tug on my hand, he brought me back on the cushion I was sitting on before I could take a step toward my goal.

Because it was too much effort to try to stand up with his arm curled around my waist, I whined, pouted and pointed at my punching ball for the evening. "But… the pig!"

"I'll handle it, Maiko-san!" Gai announced spontaneously, standing up with a grace and easiness that was just unfair considering he had drunk twice as much as I did.

I leaned back against Kakashi (since he had stopped me, the traitor, he could handle my weight) and tilted my head to watch Gai. He scared the pig away with barely a few words and gave a big grin at the civilian and her friend, who appeared just in time to catch what had happened. "Oooh," I said as they talked.

Genma followed my stare and snorted. "Looks like Gai will get lucky tonight. The white knight show always agrees with him."

Still feeling vindictive, I kicked him until he was pushed out of his cushion. "Good for him! I didn't see _you_ offering to help."

Genma laughed again (he was an happy drunk and that was no surprise). "But you had it under control, Mai-chan."

I huffed and pouted some more. "Rin-chan said no."

Genma laughed even louder. Rin giggled while Raidou was trying to hide a smile behind his hand. I glared at them all (or tried to, I wasn't sure of its efficiency when I was still pouting) before turning around to glance at Kakashi.

His eye was crinkled in amusement, but he wasn't mocking me (visibly). "Rin is a very stern mistress, isn't she?"

I nodded very seriously and curled against his side to lean my head on his shoulder. "You're all lousy friends. Kakashi is better," I declared.

Genma only laughed more in response. I grumbled and closed my eyes.

They were so silly. I didn't like them _at all_ …

…

... …

"Maiko-san, it's time to go home."

I grumbled and curled tighter against the source of warmth. "No. Don't wanna. Home's scary."

...

"...Rin is offering to let you stay with her."

I blinked and looked up slowly. The bar was much less crowded and lively. Rin was staring at me with concern from the other side of the table.

"Oh," I breathed, realizing that I had dozed off. "Yeah. That would be fine. Thanks." I tried to pull away and straightened on my own, but my body definitely wasn't cooperating.

A pair of hands held me by the waist to help me up then an arm went under my knees, and I was lifted. I automatically put my arms around Kakashi's neck to make it easier for both of us. "Yeah," I mumbled, "that's probably safer."

He eye-smiled at me. "I'm glad we agree."

I dozed off once again on the way to Rin's apartment, only waking up enough to drink a glass of water before sprawling on a futon.

When I woke up late in the morning with horrible morning breath and a full bladder, I was alone. Rin had to go to work and left me to sleep. But I had slept. At least, that's something.

"Not so lousy friends after all," I concluded.

oOo

The next day, my very tentative composure was challenged.

Debriefing had never been so dreadful, not even after Orochimaru bit off parts of me.

I was in an interrogation room (one of the friendliest ones, no doubt) for more than half an hour now, reciting in details what had happened that day to a young man who introduced himself as Dokuraku Mawashi. He was wearing the grey uniform of the Interrogation Force and, apart from his glasses, he was perfectly unremarkable.

"Alright. I think we have covered the attack itself," he said finally. "I understand that you do not remember the questions asked to you. If it comes back, please immediately contact us."

I nodded obediently.

"Now, I'd like to come back on several other details."

I stopped myself from sighing. I nodded and raised a glass of water to my lips.

"It has been noted that you had your morning off, but that you were planning to see Nara Yoshino at ten o'clock. Is that correct?"

"Yes."

"What is your relationship with Nara-san?"

"She helped me when I worked for her as a genin then offered me to fill in for her when she had to stop working at the end of her pregnancy."

"Why were you meeting?"

"I wanted to speak with her."

"What about?"

"It's private."

"A few days before, you had concerns about the private life of Nara Shikaku. Was this related?"

"I don't see how _this_ is related to my assault, Dokuraku-san."

"Please, answer the question."

I sighed but nodded. "Yes, it was."

"Is it possible that you were attacked to prevent you from speaking to Nara-san?"

"I don't see why. It would have been useless anyway, I talked to her afterwards."

"Does the topic of your conversation could affect in anyway Konoha's operations?"

That question was so loaded that I looked him right in the eye with a raised eyebrow to show that I wasn't fooled or amused. "Nara Shikaku is fully aware of the content of our discussion. You might want to redirect your questions on the subject to him. I have no doubt that he'll be better able to answer you to your satisfaction."

He looked down, made a note and changed the order of his papers. "During this week, you had a quarrel with Uchiha Hideaki. What was the subject of it?"

"He's the jounin sensei of Uchiha Itachi, and Hokage-sama had forbidden the genin from taking more than D-rank missions for a few weeks. Hideaki-san contested this decision."

Mawashi crossed his hands before him and watched me intently and impassively. "What was your response?"

"I reminded him that the Hokage's decisions were not debatable. He accused me of jealousy and holding back his student. I pointed out that his student was eight and deserved some rest."

"How was he when he left?"

"Pissed."

"Did he make any threat against you at that time or at any other time?"

"No."

"Did anyone threaten you in any way recently or formerly?"

"I am responsible for upholding Hokage-sama's schedule and decisions, for turning the unwanted away and for answering every request who doesn't necessitate his attention. What do you think?" I drawled.

"I'll need a list."

"Sure. Do you want me to limit it to assault threats or should I include all of them?"

"Everything you can recall."

"That will take me the afternoon. You're harsh."

"Can you think about anyone in particular who could have attacked you, Kamizuki-san?"

"I don't know… maybe someone who would benefit from making you suspect the Uchiha clan or make you doubt the Jounin Commander?"

"What makes you think I do?"

"I'm not an idiot. You're not the first to ask me if I have seen my attacker make hand seals or if I noticed his eyes. I didn't, and genjutsu via eye-contact is a Sharingan speciality. How convenient that I had a row with one of the Uchiha a few days earlier. No matter that I have had disagreements with people of every clan and division. For example, ten days ago, your colleague Morino Ibiki tried to intimidate me. He's also proficient in genjutsu, especially those used for torture, isn't he? He also has direct access to psych evaluation and mine includes a detailed report on my encounter with Orochimaru."

"Are you accusing Morino-san?"

"No. I am accusing _you_ of a flawed interrogation, Dokuraku-san."

"I see..." To his credit, Mawashi had an excellent poker face. He gathered his papers in a neat pile as he said: "Thank you for your time, Kamizuki-san. That will be all. You'll be contacted if any other questions emerge. In the meantime, you're cleared to go back to work since you don't look traumatized…"

It took me a few seconds to ascertain that yes those words had truly passed his lips. A second more to regret that the table was bolted to the floor and I couldn't throw it to his face. Then I pounced on him over the table. "You, asshole!" I hissed as I grabbed his jacket. "You fucking piece of trash!" I shook him harshly. "How dare you!" I shouted and spat at his face.

The door flew open and someone grabbed me, pulling me away. I ignored them, beside myself with fury. "Not looking traumatized enough?! Is that it?! Is that what you say to the kunoichi who have been raped on the field? the kids who come back from their first kill? Is it?!" I struggled against the man — Genma, I realized distantly — who tried to hold me down but let him pull me to the other side of the room. "It's fine, you look fine, just go back to work?!" I was screaming louder than I ever did. "Let me _go_ , Genma! I'm going to strangle this little piece of shit!"

"Uhuh. No. Can't do. Attacking an ally—"

"An ally?! Is that what he is? Is it?! I don't see it! With _that_ kind of ally, we don't need enemies!"

Yamanaka Inoichi stepped into the room and waved Mawashi out the door. With his glasses askew and his uniform torn, the asshole left without further ado. Inoichi followed, leaving me alone, fuming in Genma's arms.

Without any target to scream at, I calmed down slightly and finally realized that I had ended up with my legs around Genma's chest. He was holding me against the wall with his arms around my waist. I blinked down at him in surprise, panting.

"Easy, sweetheart. Deep breaths," he encouraged me patiently. He lowered me on my feet and rubbed my back.

Once I had calmed down, I felt extremely embarrassed for losing my temper. Genma could see it, and he smirked at me softly.

"He was an asshole," I defended myself nonetheless because _he was_.

Genma hummed noncommittally and led me outside.

To my utmost embarrassment, the Hokage was there, speaking to Inoichi and Shikaku. He turned to glance at me and said: "Maiko-san, take the rest of the week. I'll see you Monday."

Apparently. I had looked traumatized enough this time.

Oops?

Nah.

oOo Bonus oOo

In the Observation Room

"She's astute," Inoichi commented when Maiko pointed out the incriminating evidence against the Uchiha and how convenient it was.

"She is," Shikaku and Minato agreed.

"She's also quite loyal to you, Shikaku," Inoichi pointed out with an amused glance at his friend.

The Jounin Commander shrugged, unbothered by what had been said or implied about him in the interrogation room. He had shared the details with his friends, Minato, Inoichi and Chouza, but from everyone else point of view he _might_ have been compromised because of his family issues.

"Right now, she's mostly at the end of her tether," Genma warned them, his senbon going nervously from one corner of his lips to the other.

"You think?" Minato asked. He would end the interrogation if necessary. He didn't have the time to.

When Mawashi stopped talking and Genma caught sight of Maiko's expression, reminiscent of a recent evening, he bolted out of his chair. "Fuck. He's dead." He might have found it funny when he was drunk but attacking a comrade in the line of duty was something else entirely.

In the Hallway

"She had a point, Inoichi," the Yondaime said once Maiko had left. "Is this the standard treatment reserved to traumatized shinobi?"

"No, Hokage-sama. Mawashi was out of line. I'll handle it."

"I expect a formal reprimand."

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Inoichi bowed his head respectfully. They were friends but Inoichi knew his place, especially when Minato was displeased.

* * *

 _Urgh, that debriefing scene annoyed me so much. I'm still not convinced by it, but I have to move on nonetheless. I hope it's not as bad for you as it is for me. ^^'_

 _I'm too lazy to reply to everyone's review, but I highly appreciate your comments. Concerning last chapter, several of you mentioned they liked the way I introduce PostPartum Depression into Yoshino's story. I thought it was interesting to develop and it fit really well. I'm glad you agreed. =)_


	8. The difference between pranks and traps

Getting back to work was familiar and comforting. I needed something to occupy my mind and paperwork was calming.

Haruka welcomed me back with a few compassionate words but mostly showed she cared by handling most of the people who came to the office. Paperwork was fine, but people tended to piss me off more easily than usual. I didn't know if it showed or if Genma had warned Haruka, but I was spared most of the talking for a time.

Five days later, I was going down to the missions desk with a handful of new scrolls approved and annotated by the Hokage. When I walked in, something detonated just above me and I instinctively rolled away, dropped the scrolls, grabbed my tessen, faced the threat and stood up in the next move.

I faced a shower of pink glitter. Unimpressed, I stared at the seal stuck above the door and the sparkly puddle under it. When I looked down at myself, I discovered that, despite evading quickly, I didn't completely avoid the glitter bomb. There was pink all over my shoulders, some on my arms and probably more in my hair.

"Really?" I drawled as I looked around.

It was early enough that most of the people presented were the chuunin working here. They made sympathetic faces.

"Ah, Maiko-san. It seems you fell prey to our prankster. Ignore it, he just wants some attention," an old career chuunin from the Shimura clan told me.

"Who are we talking about?"

"He's probably outside, waiting to see the result of his prank," he said with a shrug. "You can go through the back door if you want to avoid him."

I picked up the scrolls and handed them over to the nearest person. "Here are the new missions," I said before turning around and going back the way I came. I looked around attentively but couldn't find anyone.

I knew better.

Yuuhi Kurenai was coming in, ready to enter the missions desk. I caught her attention with a soft touch and discreetly flashed hand signs at her: "Target concealed. Locate?"

She took a look at the glitter then at my face before pointing in a direction.

I gave her a smile of thanks and walked toward the pot plant she had pointed out. An attentive observation showed that the disposition of the leaves was unnatural, not turned enough toward the nearest source of light and not distributed for maximum light exposure. That was the only detail that I could notice. Whoever was hiding was good, but Kurenai was even better.

I pulled on a branch. The tree yelped.

"Dispel the jutsu," I ordered.

A young teenager took the tree's place and looked up at me defiantly.

I blinked at him, his ponytail, his headband and the scar over his nose. "Your name," I asked despite already having guessed.

"Genin Umino Iruka," he replied, lifting his chin in challenge.

"Genin. Why are you pulling pranks here instead of training?"

"You have no proof it was me."

"I don't need proof. I'm not here to put a reprimand on your file. I simply asked you a question."

Iruka looked away and shifted. "My sensei suspended me."

My eyebrows went up in surprise. "Why?"

"... For pulling pranks."

"Did you pull pranks during a mission?"

"No! Never!"

I blinked, tilted my head and stared at the ceiling, but no matter how I thought about it, this still didn't make sense. "Let me sum up: you pulled pranks on your free time and, as a punition, your sensei decided to ban you from missions, giving you more free time in consequence, that you occupy by making more pranks… Is that it?"

"... Yes," he agreed, staring at the ground.

I raised my hands up in a show of incomprehension. "What is the fucking logic in all this?"

"I…" Iruka tried to answer, without knowing what to say.

"I'm not blaming _you_. You're, what… twelve?"

"Thirteen!"

"Not much better but _okay_. Where is your sensei?"

"Outside the village, in a mission," he mumbled petulantly.

"For how long?"

"Two days more I think."

"Alright, kid. Until your sensei is back, you answer to me."

"W-what?" Iruka stuttered.

I was already walking back toward the mission desk. "Don't gape like that, you'll swallow a fly. Come on, follow, hop hop hop!"

I heard him jog to catch up as I reached the mission desk, where everyone was watching us like they were expecting a fight.

"For the record, Shimura-san, when someone does something for attention, you _should_ give them attention. Contrary to what you may think, ignoring them is _not_ smart, it'll just make them try harder until they make a nuisance of themselves. That's _logic_ for Kami's sake. Does anyone understands logic in this village anymore? I don't expect it from a kid but fucking adults should know better," I ranted. "Now, that kid's sensei, there… whatever his name is…"

"Hyuuga Katashi," Iruka piped up helpfully.

"A Hyuuga, of course," I grumbled. "Whatever. Him. When he comes back from his mission, send him up to my desk, I'll have a few words with him. Okay?"

A young chuunin that I knew came from the genin corps looked at me with wide eyes and nodded quickly. "Y-yes, Maiko-san."

"Alright. Now back to work everyone. Come on, genin, hop hop hop!" I left for the stairs leading me back to the Hokage's office. "Now, kid, your prank. I give you two out of ten for effort. One point for your use of a personalized well-timed seal. One for the choice of emplacement. One for your choice of color — pink is fetching on me. One for your ability to hide afterwards. I take away two points for the detonation sound which removes the surprise effect and is totally inappropriate in an environment where people can react harshly to it. A prank is only a prank if it's funny. If it isn't, it becomes a trap, which is not acceptable in a friendly area. Get it?"

"Y-yes."

"You'll need to do better if you want to fulfill your mission."

"Mission, Madam?"

"Yes, your mission," I confirmed seriously, ignoring the stares I was attracting with pink glitter and fiery speech. "It's a really important one." I stopped suddenly on a landing. "First: do you know who I am?"

Iruka did his best to stop without colliding with me then quickly stood straight with his arms behind his back, standing to attention. "You're an assistant of the Hokage, Madam. I do not know your name, however, I apologize…"

I waved my hands. "Kamizuki Maiko. You can call me Maiko-san. The important part is that I'm the Hokage's assistant and it's my duty to make sure he's in good shape, right?"

"Yes, Maiko-san."

"But lately, well... something happened and the Hokage isn't exactly himself lately. That's where you came in."

"Me?"

"Yes. Your mission, Iruka-kun, is to make the Hokage laugh."

He didn't faint, but it was a near thing.

I grinned with all my teeth. "You'll do great!" I walked into the office after a pat on his shoulder.

Genma took a glance at me then at Iruka and said: "Kiddo, you didn't choose the best period to piss her off."

I tutted disapprovingly. "Don't scare off my new pupil and give me a bad reputation, Genma." I sat a my desk. "Don't listen to him, Iruka-kun. I may have a short fuse lately, but it's _totally_ irrelevant."

"So, he isn't the one who covered you in glitter?"

"Oh, he is. So? Pink looks good on me."

"On you, maybe. On your green top… not so much."

I extended an arm and pointed at him. " _Irrelevant_. It's not worse than orange and you're used to it so deal with it." I turned back to Iruka and looked him in the eye, resting my chin on the back of my hand. "Now. You need to plan your mission carefully, Iruka-kun. I'll answer any question you have, but you're on your own for the rest. I understand it's a sensitive mission. Do you think you can do it?"

The teenager was staring at me indecisively. "Are you doing this to get back at me?"

"No. It's not in my interest for you to fail. I want you to succeed. I want you to understand what a good prank is. I want you to use your time and abilities for something more constructive than a glitter bomb, and I believe you can do it. Do you?"

Iruka watched me quietly for a few seconds before straightening and nodding. "Yes."

"Excellent. Pull on a chair, I'll lend you a corner of my desk."

We conferred quietly through the morning.

oOo

"Maiko-saaan!"

"Naruto-kuuun!" I replied with a smirk while crouching to catch the human bullet running at me. I lifted Naruto on my hip and smiled at the hug he gave me. "Hello to you too. To what do I owe this enthusiastic greeting?"

"Dad said that someone mean hurt you, and that's why you weren't at work last time I came! Are you alright now? Did you punish them?"

I glanced at Minato who was smiling from behind his desk and at Kakashi who was stepping forward after closing the door. "I am better now. And your dad will be the one to punish them."

"Ah! He'll catch them for sure, and they won't ever hurt you again!" Naruto concluded with a fierce nod.

"For sure," I agreed. "Are you eating lunch with your dad today?"

"Yeah!"

"Alright then. I'll see you later, Naruto-kun. Enjoy your meal." I put him down and nodded at both men before leaving.

In the hallway, my little pupil had come back from the errand I had sent him on with five bentos and handed them out appropriately. I accepted mine with a pleased smile. It was nice not to be the gopher for once.

I had barely finished lunch that Naruto left the office and came to me quietly.

"Maiko-san," he said, subdued.

"Yes, sweetheart?" I asked, lifting him up on my lap without even thinking about it.

"I thought about what you said…"

"About what, honey?"

"About my mom."

I had difficulties to remember what I said about Kushina-san. I hope it wasn't anything bad… probably not, but I wasn't the biggest fan of the loud kunoichi when she was alive so… "What about her?" I asked noncommittally.

"You said that she was strong. Dad said that she was funny, en-energetic and lively, like me. I want to be like her!"

"Is that so?"

"Yeah!" He shouted before calming down immediately and admitting: "But I don't know how…"

I hummed, my eyes drifting to Iruka. I blinked at him then grinned slowly.

The smart genin recoiled.

"I think I have an idea," I said.

"What is it?" Naruto asked, looking up at me hopefully.

"You know what your mother was good at? ... Pranks."

I cackled with glee. I was going to create a monster, I knew, but that's fine… Konoha 1.0 had survived it. Konoha 2.0 should too.

"Should I be afraid?"

I startled and turned around to see that Kakashi had appeared behind me, leaning against the wall and hiding behind a book, as usual. However, he glanced at me over his novel with a hint of curiosity.

I grinned cheekily. "Now, I don't know why you say that… but for the record, it's always best to be on the side of the pranksters than the prankees…"

He gave me his best eye-smile. "My lips are sealed."

oOo

"Maiko-san, several witnesses suggest that you're the one behind this situation…"

"I am."

The Yondaime blinked and stared at me in surprise. Clearly, he hadn't been expecting an admission of guilt. "You… are?"

"Yes. I take responsibility for the events. Iruka-kun and Naruto-kun were acting with my blessing. They were working on a mission, you see."

"A mission?"

"Yes. To make you laugh. I'm happy to report that it was a successful mission, Hokage-sama. Your son show great potential in trap-making, camouflage and improvisation."

On my right, Naruto giggled, trying unsuccessfully to hold back his laughter behind his hands. On my left, Iruka relaxed somewhat after I took responsibility and threw me an admiring and grateful glance.

"You planned this… to make me laugh?" The Yondaime repeated.

"Yes." Hands clasped in front of me, I nodded seriously before tilting my head. "To be honest, you have a really catching laugh, and it always makes me laugh too so it might have been a little self-serving because I definitely needed a good laugh, but… officially yes. Don't you feel better?" I smiled at him placidly.

He stayed silent for a few seconds, staring at me thoughtfully. "I never thought I'd say that but… you're a bad influence on my son, Maiko-san."

"Absolutely," I agreed with a grin. "I think Kushina-san would be proud."

Minato was unable to hold back a smile, and he had to look away and clear his throat to hide it. "Ahem. If I understand well, at no point during this… mission… was the security of the premises comprised."

"At no point," I confirmed. "The ANBU allowed my subordinates to work at my request."

"Did they now?" Minato said. He glanced at Kakashi.

The jounin was juggling with three balloons and looked back at his sensei with an eye-smile, pretending to be perfectly innocent although he had watched over the proceedings benevolently, perfectly happy to let them work since that meant he could read during his babysitting duties.

Minato rolled his eyes at him before asking me: "And you are the mastermind in this?"

"You could say that, I suppose, but the plan is Iruka-kun's. I don't have his genius for pranks. And of course, the setting up was theirs, since I couldn't take the time off my work."

"I see." Minato crouched to take one of the balloons rolling on the floor at his feet and observed the seal painted on it. "I suppose those seals are yours, then, Iruka-kun?"

"Ah… Yes, Hokage-sama."

"To make an object attracted to the first source of chakra which it comes in contact with... It's a really innovative use of seals, Iruka-kun. Impressive."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama," Iruka whispered, blushing and looking down in pleasure.

"How much time do you estimate they will last?"

"Another ten minutes, at most."

Minato hummed and threw the balloon away. It immediately came back at his feet, rolling gently on the floor to join his gaggle of friends clamoring for the Hokage's attention.

Genma walked in, with his own little army of balloons rolling around his feet. "Hokage-sama. Hyuuga-sama is adamant that the offenders are to be punished."

"Is he still covered in balloons?" I asked with a grin.

Genma smirked. "All over his back and arms."

Naruto giggled and jumped up and down. "He shouldn't have tried to pop them!"

"To adapt the attraction to the quantity of chakra and make the balloons indestructible was a stroke of genius," Minato said to Iruka. "How did you learn fuuinjutsu?"

"Mostly from books at the library, Hokage-sama," Iruka replied, still flustered.

Minato hummed thoughtfully. "There are a few texts I could lend you."

Iruka's eyes went wide. "Hokage-sama?"

"But I expect you to study the subject seriously. We can always use more fuuinjutsu users, they're too rare."

"Absolutely, Hokage-sama! I will do my best! I swear!"

"Good, good." Minato smiled gently at the young genin before he glanced at me. "Maiko-san."

I bowed my head. "Yes, Hokage-sama. I know. How much will you deduce?"

"Your pay for the day should suffice."

I bowed to the waist. "As you wish, Hokage-sama."

When I straightened, Iruka looked at me worriedly. "But…"

I patted his shoulder gently. "I entirely commit to what I do, Iruka-kun. A prank has consequences, but sometimes the consequences are totally worth it."

I remembered the shouts of surprise and squawks of protest that very respectable men had made when they opened the door to the conference room to be met with a wall of multicolored balloons.

I remembered the startled face that the Yondaime had made when he walked into the hallway to find the councilmen fighting against a pack of balloons, and how he and his bodyguards had to quickly step outside to burst into laughter.

It had been _hilarious,_ and it was going to amuse a lot of people for a while considering that important people were walking around, pursued by balloons like they were ducklings following their mother.

"Totally worth it." I winked and left the Hokage's office.

Genma watched me with a lopsided smile. "Do you feel better?"

"Oh, yes. I feel great! Dango anyone? Iruka will have to fetch them, but it's my treat!"

Ah. I really needed a good laugh.

I was going to be overdrawn but it was _totally_ worth it.

oOo

Two days later, Hyuuga Katashi came to fetch his student with an exasperated "What did he do _now_?"

I stared at him with my chin in my hand. For a second, I thought of shouting at him, but it was too much effort. "He impressed Yondaime-sama and consequently received special tutoring in fuuinjutsu during the Hokage's spare time," I replied lazily.

The Hyuuga gawked at me. His two other students, who had been snobbing Iruka, stared at their third teammate like he had grown another head.

Iruka straightened from the slouch he had adopted when his sensei appeared, looking proud to be sitting next to me with a scroll coming from the Hokage's personal library. For the last two days, he had done nothing else than reading about seals and helping me with errands when he needed a break.

"So, next time you decide to give your student more free time because he uses it inappropriately," I said pointedly and with a hint of humor, "by all means, send him back to me, alright?" I smiled cheekily.

The jounin wouldn't stop staring. Oh, yes, this was much more fun than just shouting at him.

"Go on then, Iruka-kun. Take good care of those scrolls, uh?"

"Yes, Maiko-san!" The genin stood up and bowed to the waist. "Thank you so much for your guidance these last days. I'm grateful for your help."

I waved my free hand at him. "You're welcome. Don't forget to keep in touch with Naruto-kun."

"Yes, Maiko-san!"

"Now, shoo!"

Iruka had barely passed the door that his teammates were asking him what had happened while they were away. His sensei inquired about the scrolls. I could imagine how smug the genin felt, and I chuckled softly. With a sigh of satisfaction, I stretched out my arms. The day looked promising.

Shimura Danzou appeared at the door.

Damn it.

I composed myself and straightened. "Shimura-sama. What can I do for you?"

"I'm looking for Hiruzen."

"Sandaime-sama is in a meeting with Yondaime-sama. I expect they won't be much longer."

"I'll wait for him."

"As you wish," I replied with a polite nod, hopeful that this would be all.

It wasn't meant to be.

Danzou stayed unmoving in front of me, leaning on a cane. He watched me work until I finally gave up and asked: "Is there anything else, Shimura-sama?"

"You seem untouched by the attack against your person."

My fingers tensed on a pen, and I looked up slowly from the scroll I was reviewing. I met his droopy eye and held his stare in silence, for a few seconds more than was polite. All the cheerfulness and serenity I had been able to muster these last days were swept out of the way by this despicable man. What was the deal with people telling me I _looked_ fine so everything must be fine? "With all due respect, Shimura-sama… that doesn't concern you."

He squinted at me briefly before being completely stone-faced once again. "I'm merely concerned for the welfare of a Konoha kunoichi. One would believe that, considering the importance of your station, you would be better protected. The Hokage has been excessively careful in the past and yet…"

"Shimura-sama," I interrupted, standing up and leaning the tips of my fingers on the desk to avoid clenching them or throwing them around the asshole's neck, "since you're no longer a member of the estimated Go-Ikenban, I would recommend that you keep your opinion of the Hokage's work for yourself, especially considering that your objections have already been presented to the Council and deemed unfounded." I spoke clearly, standing straight and looking him in the eye. "I'm satisfied with the protection given to me, and I'd appreciate that you don't use my personal ordeals for your political gain. If that is all you wished to talk about, you're welcome to take a seat as you wait for Sandaime-sama."

He didn't bother to hide his displeasure this time. Probably incapable of leaving without having the last word, he replied: "I thought you would have understood how senseless is your asinine crush by now, child."

"There is power and loyalty in love that I don't expect you to understand, Shimura-sama. You do yourself a disservice by belittling such feelings. I'm not ashamed of mine, and your presumptions on the matter are irrelevant."

He snorted disdainfully. "Spoken like a childish paper pusher with no blood on her hands."

"I suppose so. I'm indeed seventeen, a secretary coming from the Genin Corps, and I have never killed anyone. So? I'm not ashamed of any of those facts. I'm a kunoichi of Konoha just as any others, and if you think that we're only defined by the number of our casualties, that's _your_ delusion."

There was some noise at the entrance, indicating that someone else was waiting for my attention. Danzou moved away with a last sneer in my direction. Satisfied to finally get some peace, I sat down in a dignified away.

Silly old man, thinking that he could mess with my head like he did with all the poor orphans he abused. It wasn't the first time I was accused of having a crush on the Hokage. It wasn't completely wrong either. After all, if I was a little bit older… Seriously, who wouldn't?

This tendency to belittle women by making them look like silly enamored girls was nothing new. Many kunoichi chose to answer it by being cold toward men, thus avoiding any rumors, because it was the easiest way to prove themselves and fulfill their ambitions.

I already had the job I wanted and the only opinion that mattered was the Hokage's, who was probably aware of my complex feelings but was smart enough to know that it wasn't an obstacle to my proficiency, quite the opposite. As such, I really _really_ didn't care. Like, at all.

There was also that nasty habit of thinking that a shinobi who didn't kill anyone was less, somehow, than one who was a certified killer. It was so far from the school of thought I was used to from my previous life that it disgusted me entirely. Few people dared to say it as overtly as Danzou, but many thought so, maybe in an attempt to make themselves feel better. Again, I could care less. I had my own principles and values.

I was mostly disturbed by the fact that Danzou knew I was attacked and why he mentioned it. If he was behind it, wasn't it foolish to bring attention to himself? I shook my head. There was no point in speculating. Back to work!

I politely smiled to the new arrivals. "Uchiha-san, Uchiha-kun, what can I do for you?"

Uchiha Hideaki stepped forward, Itachi following him dutifully, although the boy was staring at me strangely.

"The missions desk told us to report here for our next mission," Hideaki said.

"Oh, yes, yes. The Hokage should be able to see you as soon as his meeting is done, in a few minutes. Please take a seat."

The jounin nodded, emotionless, and went to sit as far away as Danzou as possible. Itachi's eyes lingered on me as he followed.

Chalking it up to the Uchiha's weirdness, I didn't think much of it and turned toward my coworker. "Haruka-san? … Haruka-san?"

Haruka startled and looked up from her work. "Sorry. Yes?"

"Did you receive the Intelligence weekly report?"

"Ah, yes. A chuunin brought it. He seemed intent to avoid you, which is quite unusual. Is there something I should be aware of?"

I chuckled self-consciously. "I might have obtained a… certain reputation with the Intelligence Division recently."

"What kind of reputation?" Haruka asked curiously.

"The kind that says ' _don't mess with her'_. Isn't that right, Maiko-chan?" Genma teased as he leaned against my desk.

I squinted at him. "Shut up, you. It was his fault."

"Of course," he agreed indulgently.

I threw a ruler at him and grumbled when he dodged. "It was!"

oOo Bonus - Minato's PoV oOo **  
**

"It doesn't make sense. Why would Danzou speak to Maiko? He knows how loyal she is to you and how much she dislikes him. She isn't shy about that," Jiraiya commented, leaning an elbow on the Hokage's chair.

His student tilted his head in acknowledgement. Minato had his forearms on the desk and leaned on them as he thought this through.

"An excellent question. Danzou never does anything without reason," Shikaku agreed.

"It looked like he was testing her somehow," Kakashi commented, tapping his ANBU mask against his chin as he remembered the interaction he had watched from the shadows. "Like he was waiting for something…"

"Checking that his underlings didn't mess up the genjutsu?" Jiraiya asked.

"Or testing a sleeping agent trigger?" The ANBU Commander countered.

"If it was the later, it failed. She was completely in control of herself. No hesitation. No change of behavior," Kakashi reported.

"Commander, what does your new ward had to say on the matter?" Minato asked.

"Kinoe confirmed that he was a member of Root for the last seven years, following Orochimaru's experiments on him. He was unaware of the use of his identity to threaten Maiko-san."

"He looked shocked by the idea," Kakashi added, "and he repeated that he never met her before, only knowing her by sight and title."

"Which lead us to wonder how she knew he was able to use Mokuton," the last member of their meeting pointed out, standing up from the couch where she was reading until now.

"What do you mean Momoko?" Jiraiya asked with his arms crossed. "You read her report, the genjutsu showed it to her."

"I just read it, yes," the forty years old woman agreed, "and you did well to show it to me, Minato. Some subtleties definitely required a genjutsu specialist's attention. From what I read, I can guess the jutsu used against your assistant. It's called the _Dormant Nightmare_ , A-level, very rarely used. It's characterized by a progressive graduation of the genjutsu but also by a very specific stimulation of the brain. In short, this genjutsu throws its victim in a waking nightmare. What the victim sees is a manifestation of their own mind and not of the jutsu caster's. The caster only gives the first impulsion and monitors the nightmare, he doesn't control it."

"Then what's its purpose?" Shikaku asked.

"Torture," she replied plainly. "No-one knows better than your own mind how to break you."

The men gathered digested this somberly.

"It has very little interest for interrogation, as perfectly demonstrated by the way that Maiko-san resisted it. She said that she stayed quiet because of her fear of ingesting the snakes. It's characteristic. If it was a controlled genjutsu, the caster would have immediately noticed the resistance and adapted the scenario in consequence. As there is no direct control, there is no adjustment possible. It's highly impractical for information gathering."

"What are you saying, Senju-san?" The ANBU Commander asked.

Momoko put down the report on Minato's desk then walked toward the window. "The Dormant Nightmare is only used in two scenarios: torture and escape. It allows the caster to run away after a few seconds: the progression of the genjutsu will hide their escape and keep the victim in a longer fugue state than most genjutsu, as proved by the difficulty that the medical staff had to woke her. Her attacker was gone by the time she closed her bedroom's door, if not before. If her neighbor hadn't been alerted by her screams, it could have gone on for longer."

"Someone wanted her out of the way," Jiraiya concluded.

"But out of the way of what? The only thing she had planned that morning was her talk with Yoshino-san," the ANBU Commander pointed out, turning toward Shikaku.

"No, that's not it," the Nara replied with his eyes half-closed. "There is the correlation of attacks. If her assault only took a few minutes, the assailant could have gone to one of the clan compounds."

"It reduces the number of enemies but not by much," the ANBU Commander replied.

"Isn't the most important question why someone wanted to get her out of the way?" Kakashi asked.

"Do you have a suggestion, Kakashi?" Minato asked.

"She was gone from her work for five days without replacement."

"Haruka-san was still on duty."

"But she didn't pull a double shift. They might have found a way to access the private archives in the assistants' absence."

"I didn't detect any security breaches," Minato replied before sighing, "but it won't help us much to speculate at this rate. We're still missing too much information."

"Yes, and you're missing several details in the rush," Momoko said as she turned around to stare at them with her arms crossed. "How did your assistant knew that an ANBU was able to use Mokuton?"

"You said that her mind invented this scenario."

"It _created_ the scenario but dreams and nightmares are based on reality. Our brains use what they know from our daily life and make what they want with it. If it had been any other mask than Kinoe's, it could be her imagination, but she had the right mask for the right ability. She _knew_."

Minato sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"You alright, there, Minato?" Jiraiya asked sympathetically.

"I'm just remembering the day a little girl called me Yondaime-sama and I thought she was cute. I didn't realize what a headache she would give me."

Jiraiya patted his shoulder. "Funny. I thought something rather similar when we met. Look where that got us…"

* * *

 _I use the term Go-ikenban to differentiate between the Council of Elders and the Council of Clan heads. In this story, Danzou is part of the second but not the first, it will be explained later why._

 _The romance I talked about was supposed to be in this chapter but in the end the pace wasn't right. I postponed it to the next chapter, which will be more... sexy. The timing is perfect because that will be your Christmas gift. ;)_


	9. Sexy Arrangement

Genma and I _finally_ trained together on a Sunday when weather was on our side.

I ran around Konoha for half an hour before going to the training ground we had booked. It still baffled me sometimes when I thought about how long I spent working out nowadays. In my previous life, there was nothing I hated more. I had poor eyesight, poor eye-hand coordination and poor balance. Needless to say that sports were the bane of my existence. Now that those weren't a problem anymore and that I had chakra to help (it made a really huge difference), exercising wasn't as awful as it used to be.

Running was relaxing (did I just said that? yes, I did… how things changed) and stretching felt _really_ good. I was glad that my only advantage in my first life, flexibility, had followed in this one too.

"Nice view."

I huffed but maintained what I used to know as the crow pose in yoga (and which I had never been able to do for lack of arm strength). Here it was called the crane. It gave an excellent view of the backside that Genma was currently appreciating by staying right behind me. I straightened into a handstand, did a flip to come back on my feet and turned around to face him.

"Good morning to you too," I drawled with a raised eyebrow and a hand on my hip to show how unimpressed I was.

He chuckled and bowed with a twirl of his hand. "My apologies, my lady. I meant to comment on how radiant you looked today and—"

"Alright! I get it! Abort!" I laughed and shook my head fondly.

"As my lady commands," he replied obligingly with a teasing smile.

"What were you thinking about for today?" I asked to get us back on track.

"After your last experience with a genjutsu, and considering it's not my speciality, I thought we should keep it for later," he explained.

"So, ninjutsu?" I guessed without commenting. To be honest, I wasn't really eager to be put under genjutsu anytime soon. I knew I need to work on it but, still, I wasn't going to refuse an excuse to postpone it.

"Ninjutsu," he confirmed. "Can you give me the list of those you know?"

"The academy basics and the shunshin. That's it." I was doing better than most members of the Genin Corps (past and present) by knowing the body flicker technique: it was risky to learn on your own (I broke my nose when I did: meeting a wall at full speed would do that to you).

"Do you know your affinity?"

"I suspect water. It runs in the family. I never tested it however."

Genma pulled out a square of paper from a pocket and held it to me. Knowing the drill, I poured a bit of chakra in it. It immediately became wet.

"It's nice to have the confirmation," I concluded.

"I'm fire," he told me.

Most Konoha nins were but the Kamizuki came from Uzu no Kuni, generations ago, like many other families. Water was the second most common element in our ranks for this reason.

"Is that going to be a problem?" I asked worriedly. Water beat fire. He was unlikely to know many water jutsus even if he was good with nature transformation. It was probably the most difficult for him.

"It's not ideal," he admitted, "but I know enough to help you with the basics. You've to understand how to transform the nature of your chakra first. We'll focus on that today. Then, for the jutsus, I may not know any suiton but I suspect that your cousin can give you a few tips…"

I nodded. "He probably has a few scrolls or notes from our fathers. Everything they left us is at his house."

Genma's explanations were concise and to the point. I worked through trials and errors as he pointed out what I did wrong and advised me on how to rectify it. It was a bit laborious, probably the most boring part of learning elemental jutsu. It was unfortunately necessary.

We were sitting by the side of the river. The contact of the water helped to guide me in the right direction.

"I think you got it," he declared after a long hour.

I groaned in relief. "Finally!"

He snorted. "Don't complain. I was expecting this to take much longer. I spent most of a day getting burnt. You've it easy."

"I'm older, it comes with the brain," I teased, "but I'm definitely grateful I don't have fire. Burns are the worst." In comparison, I was just a little drenched after several failed attempts at controlling water. We stood up and I stretched. "Shall we spar?"

"Taijutsu only," he offered with a nod, probably mindful of the fact that I had used much more chakra than him.

Fighting with Genma was… humbling. Contrary to what I was used to, he was both stronger _and_ faster than me. I couldn't recall ever fighting with a faster opponent. Speed had always been one of my strong points. Fortunately, I beat him on flexibility and managed to surprise him a few times thanks to this, otherwise it would have been a short fight. I also had no doubts that he was holding back when I was giving it my all.

One of his kicks sent me flying and rolling to the ground. Immediately, he was over me, pinning me to the ground with his knees blocking my legs and his hands on my wrists. Panting, I took a second to blink the dirt away from my lashes.

"You okay?" Genma asked. After I nodded, he advised: "You dodge a lot. It's not a bad thing but your blocks could use some work."

"Gen, if I try to block like you I'll get broken bones. Not everyone has your muscles."

He wiggled his eyebrows at me with a winning smile but suggested seriously: "Try protecting your forearms with chakra to cushion the blow."

He released me and we started anew. I tried his suggestion and he purposefully made me work on it until my forearms were aching and bruised but not broken.

When he looked satisfied, I jumped away and asked: "Weapons?"

In answer, he spat his senbon at me. I cursed and dodged quickly. I pulled out my tessens and the fight resumed with greater intensity. Against his senbons and kunais, my tessens gave me an advantage that he compensated for with speed.

I was also getting tired faster than him.

After a few minutes, I jumped back once again, ready to yield.

That's when a blur of white appeared between us, shouting: "I remember! Finally!" Jiraiya the Toad Sage flung himself at me and grabbed me by the shoulders, shaking me slightly (which didn't help me catch my breath). "Tessen no Mai! The dance of the tessens! You're Midori's kid!"

After the initial surprise, I watched him, blasé. "Yes, I am. Is that why you were insisting I reminded you of someone? Congratulations then, it only took you two years to remember."

He burst into laughter. "You even have her attitude! And her pretty hair! And her curves!" His hands started to go lower.

I sighed. "I'm still only seventeen, Jiraiya-sama."

His hands immediately came back to my shoulders. "Anyway! How is Midori-chan?"

"She's at the Senju Nursing Home."

That answer sobered him. After a few seconds of silence, he frowned. "Do they take good care of her?"

"Yes," I assured him, touched by his concern.

"Good!" He threw an arm around my shoulders and turned to look at Genma, who was waiting patiently with his hands in his pockets.

We were both used to Jiraiya's antics. He came by every few months and was the talk of the town for several days before he left once again. His favorite hangout — outside of the hot springs — was Minato's office.

As it happens, Minato appeared among us. "How did you know Maiko's mother, sensei?"

"We did a few infiltration missions together. She was excellent at posing as a dancer or courtesan, among other talents…" Jiraiya replied, his voice dripping with innuendos.

"That explains why she's so obsessed with your books," I noted distractedly, wiping my forehead with a sleeve.

"She is?" He asked gleefully.

I sighed. "I had to buy your most recent one for her. She wanted it as soon as possible and I had to stand in line for half an hour to pay."

"And?"

"I got so bored that I started reading it."

"And?!" Jiraiya asked gleefully, unbothered by the fact that his book was supposed to be for eighteen years old and above only (as if that sort of details could stop shinobi).

Minato and Genma had blinked at me simultaneously, slightly wide-eyed.

"I guess it's funny but I prefer your first book. And you've a serious problem with the representation of women. Would it kill you to stop giving their mensurat—"

"My first book?" Jiraiya interrupted, looking flummoxed.

"Yes. The Gutsy Ninja one. I don't remember the full name, it's too long. Mom bought it for me when you published it. She said it looked too much like a child book for her so she made me read it.

"You liked it?"

"Sure. It was a good child book."

"It wasn't meant to be," he admitted with a conflicted expression.

"I know. That's why it didn't sell well. Not the right publicity for the right public," I observed with a serious nod. "It would do well in a movie or anime for kids though, if you ever have the opportunity."

"You think?" He looked contemplative.

I nodded.

"I agree," Minato chipped in with a smile. "Naruto loves it, he'd be overjoyed to watch it on TV."

Jiraiya hummed, rubbed his chin and nodded. "I'll think about it. So, you didn't like Icha Icha? You might still be a little young."

I was forty-something! Oops, no, I couldn't say that. "I'd like it just fine if the women weren't all the same!" I protested, punching him in the arm.

"Such passion! Exactly what we need, don't we, Minato?" He said, cheerfully evading the subject.

Minato cleared his throat, embarrassed. "Ah, Maiko, Genma, I'm sorry for intruding on your free time but I've a favor to ask of you Maiko, and Genma might as well know about it."

Both curious, we looked at him patiently.

"Before I explain, I want to make it clear that you're absolutely free to refuse without any justification needed," he said solemnly, looking me in the eye.

"Alright." Now I was expecting the worst.

"Tomorrow, an acquaintance of Jiraiya-sensei is coming. He has information we need but he isn't… very forthcoming."

"We need to wheedle him and get his defense down!" Jiraiya added cheerfully, far from the circumspection of his student.

"Yes," Minato sighed, "and he is…"

"... a pervert, like me! His thing is sexy secretaries and—"

I closed his mouth by pushing on his lower jaw with my folded tessen and glared at him. "Say no more."

"Maiko, I'll find someone else if necessary," Minato promised quickly.

"But it's last minute and it will be more complicated."

Haruka was on leave tomorrow — she had some health troubles — and she was probably too old for a pervert's tastes anyway. Anyone else would need to be briefed for much longer to be able to pass as the Hokage's secretary.

"Yes. If you agree, it will count as a mission, a C-rank with the highest pay grade."

That wasn't insignificant. I had a good wage but a mission's pay would make a really good bonus and I was short on money lately (nothing to do with a prank, no, absolutely not, what are you talking about?).

I crossed my arms and huffed, thinking it through. "I just need to… be sexy? I mean… I don't need to…" My mother might have been an expert undercover but I definitely wasn't and seduction had never been my forte, in this life or the previous one. If it was just dressing and behaving in a certain way however… that was doable. We had been trained for this in our kunoichi lessons and the idea that our body was just a weapon like any other had been brought up often enough that it sank in. I was also mature enough that I had a modicum of confidence (that I _definitely_ didn't have when I was truly seventeen).

"Nah!" Jiraiya said with a wave of his hand. "He's a loser. The more a woman ignores him and the more he is interested."

I dug my fingernails in my arms to keep myself from making a remark. It was in my favor anyway. After a few seconds, I nodded slowly. "I can do sexy."

oOo

"So?"

There was a long moment of silence before Raidou and Genma nodded slowly.

"Yeah. That's sexy," Genma agreed with a husky voice.

I relaxed. "Oh, good."

It was hard to find the right balance between being enticing and being professional. I still had to look like a secretary of the Hokage after all. With a black mini pencil skirt and a white fitted shirt left unbuttoned to the first glimpse of a lacy bra, I had apparently managed this delicate feat.

"I told you," Rin said cheerfully, unbothered by the face Raidou made. She was currently busy adjusting my cleavage.

She had been a great help to prepare. When the Hokage had asked me what I needed yesterday, her name was the first word on my tongue, even before access to the undercover costume department (and don't get me started on _that_ , the things I had seen in this place left me to wonder what kind of dubious missions some shinobi had to go through exactly) .

Rin made this fun instead of nerve-wracking.

"I'm not convinced that I won't break my ankle with those heels."

"Nonsense! You've the gait of a dancer. You'll do just fine."

"Still, I'm not running around town in those clothes," I grumbled, just because. True, I might be able to handle high heels but it didn't mean that I wanted to. That was at least a difference in favor of this universe instead of the previous one: here, those excessive heels were considered silly, even for civilians, despite the fact that it still looked sexy apparently. Practicality over aesthetics were the norm here.

We were discussing my look hidden in a nook of a little used hallway. Little used apart for a few selected people like Nara Shikaku who, of course, passed by and stopped at that moment. He glanced at me, blinked for a few seconds and shook his head. "I don't want to know," he decided very wisely before moving on.

I wilted a little. "See! I told you I look silly."

"It's not silly," Genma assured me, "it's just… really unusual and disconcerting for those who know you. Your style is usually more... modest."

"Arata-san won't notice a thing," Raidou said.

"Apart from what he's meant to notice," Rin added before squeezing my hands. "Now, I'm really sorry I can't stay for moral support but I really must go. I'll passed by if I can during my break."

"Of course. Thanks Rin-chan."

Raidou went with her, leaving me fidgeting under Genma's watchful eye.

"Hey," he breathed, "come here." He opened his arms with a 'come here' gesture of his hands.

I stepped forward hesitantly but let him hug me against his chest. His cheek rested against my hair, just beside my ear.

"You know, I won't be able to take my eyes off you," he whispered. He caressed the back of my neck, where strands of hair fell in refined curls from an artfully messy bun.

I shivered under his touch.

"Don't get me wrong, it was already a difficult feat, but right now it's downright impossible."

Only the taste of red lipstick stopped me from biting my lip as I straightened. "Is that supposed to help me?"

"I know you find it difficult to put on a show for that guy," he said with a hand cupping my jaw, his thumb softly brushing my cheek. "Think you can do it for me?"

I blushed so fiercely that I had to lower my head and hide my face in his jacket. "Yeah."

"Good. You're gorgeous, sweetheart."

I managed not to combust instantly. It was a near thing.

oOo

Arata was just like Jiraiya described him.

When I walked in front of him, I could feel his eyes on my backside. When he was in front of me, he looked down my cleavage (he was nearly as tall as Jiraiya). And when I walked around, he seemed entranced by my legs.

Minato could get anything out of him when I was around, it was quite pathetic. Jiraiya himself was a little too distracted and I had to discreetly show him the hand sign for 'seventeen' from time to time to get him back on the task at hand. It was a good thing he had a solid moral code.

I went back and forth between the Hokage's office and the anteroom. Each time, there was someone new in the hallway, waiting to catch a glimpse of the 'sexy secretary'. By now, I was pretty sure that most of the Hokage Tower had heard of it and the news had spread beyond. I wasn't sure what to think of it. For now, I was in an headspace that allowed me to ignore or play with it, but if anyone made comments later on, I might strangle them.

A few times, Genma leaned on a corner of my desk and pointedly stared at the most annoying of the gawkers until they moved on. It entertained me enough that I rewarded him with a smoldering look from behind my false eyelashes. It made him straighten and square his shoulders in a very amusing way.

Really, when I had a few seconds to think about it, this whole situation was somewhat comical. I wasn't used to the idea that I could have so much power over the behavior of some people just because I was a little dolled up, thus the ridiculousness of this situation from my point of view.

When I walked back into the Hokage's office with some papers he had requested (considering the number of times this happened, anyone would have considered me incompetent, Arata could care less), I pretended that my bracelet was caught in my hair. I undid my bun and my hair fell freely in artificial curls down my back. I thought the man was going to have a nosebleed. I mean, _really_?

When I left the room, I glanced over my shoulder at Genma to see him staring intensely at my hair.

Mh... Maybe Rin had been into something with this hairdo. Maybe I should let my hair free and curled more often.

After what seemed like four hours but was only half of it, Arata finally left.

I sighed in relief.

"Thank you for your help, Maiko-san. We have everything we need," Hokage-sama said.

"You're welcome," I replied as I buttoned my shirt for a more modest effect. Then I pulled on my skirt and the hidden fabric slid down to stop at my knees. I removed the much too bright lipstick with a tissue. I would take off the false eyelashes later, in the bathroom; they had been a pain to put on. When I looked up, Jiraiya was staring at me. "What?"

"Nothing," he replied cheerfully. "I just had flashbacks of your mother doing something similar, that's all."

"I don't want to know," I decided before leaving. There were just some things you didn't _need_ to know.

I leaned against the doorway to remove my heels and grinned at the gawkers who were still present. "Show is over people. Back to work!" I sauntered away toward the bathroom on bare feet, leaving behind a chorus of disappointed groans.

I was just glad to be rid of all this silliness.

oOo

Izumo and Kotetsu appeared half an hour later, pulled my swivel chair away from the desk and eyeballed me from top to bottom.

"See! I told you it was bullshit," Izumo told his friend with his arms crossed. "All those rumors, just because she's wearing a skirt and a button shirt!"

"Aww, man," Kotetsu pouted disappointedly.

I shook my head at them and smiled tenderly. "Aww, Izumo-kun is defending my reputation! Come here and give me a hug!"

"Nee-chan, you can't continue to do this in public. I'm a chuunin now," he pointed out but did not resist when I stood up to embrace him.

"Even if my little cousin is a big boy, he's still my little cousin," I replied stubbornly.

He patted my arm distractedly. "Did anyone bother you today?"

"Don't you worry about that, Izu-kun. That's Genma and Raidou's job, you know, you can't steal it."

Izumo stared at Genma over my shoulder, lengthily and silently.

I moved back to glance at him with a tilt of my head. "Are you doing this overprotective thing that boys do and that I don't approve of?"

"No! Not at all," Izumo replied far too quickly before grabbing his best friend's hand and pulling away. "Work to do! See you later!"

"He totally was," I concluded with a shake of my head and my hands on my hips.

"Maa, you've trained him well."

I startled and turned around to find Kakashi eye-smiling at me and standing close.

"Ah. Kakashi-san. Can I do something for you?"

"Hokage-sama needs this," he replied, tucking a piece of paper in my hand, his fingers lingering against mine to tilt my painted nails toward him. "Red looks good on you but I think I prefer green."

I blinked at him curiously. "That makes two of us."

"For example, my jacket would look great on y—"

Genma suddenly appeared behind Kakashi and grabbed him by the neck, pulling him away and looking unimpressed. "She got the gist of it, thanks," he deadpanned.

"Jiraiya-sensei! Stop teaching Kakashi those sort of things!" I heard Minato shout. His office's door was left half-opened.

"It's a sensei's job to give tips on the affairs of the heart, Minato, and you're really remiss about it!" The sannin protested.

Raising a hand to my forehead in consternation, I said to Kakashi: "Just… don't listen to any pick-up lines Jiraiya-sama gives you. Really, don't."

"Hey!" The pervert protested, peeking out of the office with a mock-offended expression.

"Oh? Then what's appropriate?" Kakashi asked, seeming really serious in his curiosity.

"We know each other, Kakashi-san, therefore you don't need pick-up lines, you just need to ask honestly what you want. Otherwise, if you need me to counsel you on your love life, that will cost you," I warned him, as I read what the Hokage needed. I turned back on my heels to go to the Intelligence Department. A strange feeling went down my back to my butt. "Still seventeen, Jiraiya-sama!" I shouted over my shoulder.

Hearing him whine and swear was worth it, really.

oOo

I made a planning mistake.

Coming from someone who planned the Hokage's schedule, that might be a little worrying but, eh, it only concerned my private life and, in my defense, this mission was last minute, I couldn't anticipate it.

My fridge was empty.

To do grocery shopping in that silly outfit wasn't one of my best moments. It was really too constrictive and unpractical. Crouching to reach the lowest shelves made me self-conscious and worried that the skirt would rip. The looks I got were simply not what I needed after the day I had, between the people judging me and those ogling me, it was a test of self-control. I felt like I had way too many of those recently.

Balancing a basket against my hip, I looked through the vegetable aisle. There was a shinobi lingering near the onions that I was probably going to hit before I left the shop once he had gathered the nerve to touch my butt. As I glanced at him warily, I found a much more interesting sight.

Kakashi was on the other side, right in front of me, playing with apples and not even pretending to be shopping. He met my eye with a eye-smile and I snorted.

"Hi, there," I said before raising an avocado. "What do you think? Ripe or not?"

He reached for it and tested it briefly before handing it back. "Looks like it."

"Ok. Grab me two apples while you're there."

He followed me through the rest of my shopping. The stares and oglers immediately disappeared from sight.

"You're a repellent for lechers," I commented. "Very useful."

"Happy to serve," Kakashi replied nonchalantly from behind his book.

"I can't help but wonder if there is a particular reason you're staying _behind_ me however," I teased him.

I mostly wondered how he would react to my jest. The Kakashi from the story I used to read would surely have kept his cool and found a humourous reply but I was often reminded that the characters I used to know weren't the exact same that I met (for many reasons, including the fact that they were younger, or simply that they were _real_ and as such much more complex than a manga could show).

This Kakashi just had a second of hesitation, during which I could practically see the cogs turning to analyse the situation and find the appropriate answer.

"Maa," he said to stall for time. "I'm just trying to find what has caught everyone's attention." He had barely finished his last word that he flinched very discreetly, probably realizing how insulting that sounded, implying that there was actually nothing interesting when looking at me.

Fortunately for him, I laughed it off, more interested in the way he reacted than the content of his answer, especially considering it was obviously a lie. "There is still room from improvement," I concluded, "but please, for the love of women everywhere, don't take any tips from Jiraiya-sama."

"I will keep it in mind," he said, relaxing at my absence of reaction.

At the checkout, I nudged him until he looked up long enough that I could drop a bag in his arms while I paid. He grunted but didn't comment.

"Alright," I said once in the streets, where it would be harder to eavesdrop on us without Kakashi noticing. "Are you here to take me up on my love counsel offer? Because I was serious, it would cost you… like… a lunch, at least." Wow… I was cheap.

He didn't look away from his book — his situation awareness was truly impressive — even if it was getting dark enough to make reading difficult. "No, I'm here for the other offer."

I did a double take at that because… really? Was he saying what I thought he was saying? But nothing in his demeanor betrayed his thoughts. "The suspense is killing me," I commented snidely, but I meant it.

When we finally reached my apartment, I opened the door and disarmed the traps hastily before dropping the grocery bags on the table.

Kakashi took _all_ his time to close the door and do the same.

"Spit it out," I asked.

"You said to just be honest so… some people think I'm in too deep in covert ops, that I need a touchstone, someone who know nothing about what I do." He scratched the tip of his nose. "Jiraiya-sama suggested that sex would help too."

"Of course he did," I scoffed. "And you thought of me?"

"There aren't many people who don't know what I do but that I'd trust enough to have my back and have sex with."

I didn't squeal, I didn't blush, I didn't choke on thin air and for that I'm proud of myself. However I leaned heavily on the table and took a few seconds to process this. "Alright," I said slowly. "What would you expect if I agree to be your… touchstone."

"Not much. It's just to get Minato-sensei off my back..."

"I'm stopping you right there. I won't agree to anything just to be an alibi," I warned him with a finger raised. "I'm not lying to my boss for you, by omission or otherwise." I already hid too many things from him for my own sake.

"But you would agree to something serious?"

"Depends of what you need. What do Yondaime-sama wants from you?"

Kakashi didn't pout but he definitely crossed his arms petulantly. "That I spend time regularly with someone for something other than training or speaking of work. Someone who stays in Konoha and will be available when I need it, and who is not family or assimilated."

I watched him thoughtfully, thinking of his friends and eliminating them one by one due to his criteria. I was suddenly overcome by a hunch. "Jiraiya-sama suggested sex because you're bad at talking, didn't he?"

Kakashi looked at me with a spark of surprise in his widening eye.

I hid my grin behind a hand. "He totally did."

"Maybe," he drawled noncommittally.

"Alright, let's ignore what _they_ think. What do _you_ want?"

There was a long moment of silence. He looked ready to bolt.

"I want people to get off my back," he grumbled, "and I want to understand some of the things in this," he admitted, pulling off the first Icha Icha out of a pocket.

While he always had a book, they weren't the famous series seen in the manga in my previous life. They were different every other week, going from romance novels to fantasy novels, always light litterature, nothing ever too serious. The first time I had noticed this, I wondered if he had developed his infamous habit of reading at the most incongruous time because he didn't have enough spare time otherwise and he needed this to amuse himself and stay sane. It made sense, in a sad way.

I blinked curiously. "Wait. Just to be clear, you already had sex before, right?"

He glared at me, the ' _I'm pouting_ ' glare, not the ' _I want to kill you_ ' glare. "Yes, but only with… other members of the covert ops."

Beating about the ANBU bush was getting a little ridiculous.

"So, just to blow off steam?"

He nodded.

"No cuddles and fluff and enjoying afterglow?"

Another nod, slower.

"And that's what you want to try?"

A very small nod.

"Without any ties attached?"

A more assertive nod.

"Alright. I can give you that," I concluded, tapping a finger to my chin thoughtfully.

It's not like it would be an hardship, really. Kakashi was handsome and we were getting along well. I had difficulties to imagine an ordinary romance with him, I couldn't see it work with all his issues, but since that wasn't what he was offering, it was… tempting… like 'I-would-be-stupid-to-refuse' tempting.

Genma's flirting today came to mind and I had a moment of hesitation, but Genma had been flirting for months. I was pretty sure by now that he didn't mean anything serious by it. I knew for a fact that he was seeing other people regularly anyway. Flirting, especially with attractive people, was just part of his habits. I would be silly to stay focused on him. Just because I _really_ liked him, it didn't mean that my world had to revolve around him. I was more mature and independant than that.

I dismissed Genma from my thoughts and smiled at Kakashi.

"Do you want to stay for dinner or do you want the cuddles now?"

Even with the mask, thanks to the ceiling light throwing shadows on us, I could make out the discomfited face he made.

I laughed. "Cuddle isn't a cursed word and your virility will be fully intact if you admit you want them."

He glared at me. "That's not the problem."

"Isn't it?" I teased him mercilessly. "In that case… dinner it is." I started to put away the groceries, first those going in the fridge, and pondered what to make as I did. "I didn't plan for you so I don't have enough fish for what I had in mind. I could do yakisoba instead…"

I was suddenly lift off my feet and thrown over Kakashi's shoulder. I squeaked and held on to his shirt. With a kick, he closed the fridge's door as he turned around toward the couch.

After the initial surprise, I giggled. "I knew you wanted the cuddles!"

"Yes, yes, you unveiled my dirty secret," he drawled sarcastically before dropping me on the couch.

I rolled on my back and smiled at him, opening my arms invitingly and without hesitation. "Or is it that you don't like yakisoba? It's hard to tell, maybe you should use wor—"

His lips (still masked) covered mine as he settled over me and I chuckled against his mouth.

"I'm regretting everything," he grumbled as he pulled back enough to allow me to laugh without suffocating.

"No you aren't," I replied with a smirk. "I'm pretty sure you know exactly what you were stepping into." I adjusted my head on a pillow and my legs around his, waiting patiently for him to make the first move.

Kakashi hadn't reach yet the level of aloofness and unthreatening attitude he was known for in the series. He had years to perfect it but for now he wasn't good enough to make me believe that he wasn't the perfect shinobi with a plan and an analysis for everything, including his choice of sexual partner. I wondered since when he had been assessing me.

His visible eye softened. "I suppose it's unnecessary to ask you to keep the details of our relationship for yourself?"

I tilted my head and gave him a lopsided smile. "You suppose well."

He leaned down and slowly reached for the edge of his mask.

Unbothered by all the secrecy (I knew what was hidden), I closed my eyes, still smiling. His lips brushed mine in a soft caress, tentative and seductive at once. I welcomed him and his whole body settled over mine oh so gently, in a perfectly controlled way.

I raised a hand to cup his jaw, brushing his cheek with my thumb and he hummed pleasantly into the kiss.

It felt right.

o

 **\- OMAKE -**

"Maa, what's wrong, Genma?"

"You know exactly what's wrong, asshole," Genma grouched from where he was lounging on the best couch in the ANBU headquarters and looking daggers at Kakashi.

Leaning against the wall, Kakashi hummed and tapped his book against his chin. "I don't know. Is it because of that change shift last week? or is it because of that rumor — which I totally didn't start — about you and Gai? Oh! I know! Is it—" He shifted his head just a bit to avoid a senbon. "— because of Maiko-chan?"

Raidou, who was sitting on the couch's armrest, batted Genma's hand away from his holster to stop him from stealing his kunai. "Stop it, Genma. You've only yourself to blame for this. You've been sleeping around and you didn't talk about it with her. What did you expect her to do?"

"Nothing," Genma growled, "but if I discover you're just sleeping with her to mess with me, you bast—"

Kakashi sent him a glare so cold that it stopped him mid-word.

Genma rubbed his face and threw back his head. "Alright, fine, you don't."

"We've an arrangement, that's all. Considering how she looks at you, I'm pretty sure she'd dump me anytime if you just asked," Kakashi pointed out, opening the book of the week and holding it in front of his face.

"I can't," Genma groaned despondently.

"Why not?" Iwashi asked as he sat on the other armrest.

"Genma promised himself that he would only date her if his feelings for her were unchanged after six months," Raidou explained helpfully.

"It has only been four," Genma grumbled, ignoring the baffled looks he received.

Kakashi peeked above his book. "You have it bad."

"He does," Raidou confirmed with a slow nod.

"If you're afraid you'll get tired of her after sleeping with her, shouldn't you rather explain it to her and have a one-night stand to see if you're compatible?" Iwashi asked, smoothing his goatee thoughtfully.

"That makes sense," Kakashi helpfully pointed out.

"Shut up. Don't tempt me, that's not the plan," Genma grumbled, pressing his hands against his eyes.

"Hey. Incredibly innovative idea, I know, but maybe you should ask her what _she_ prefers between the six months wait or the one night stand," a female ANBU captain pointed out from where she was guzzling down coffee like it was water. "Men, I swear," she sighed before leaving the room.

"She has a point," Raidou admitted with a tilt of his head followed by a shrug when his best friend glared at him.

"Plus," Kakashi drawled slowly, which was a sure sign that what was going to come out of his mouth would be bad, "she is really good at making out." He rolled away just in time to avoid the rain of senbons who embedded themselves in the wall. "Just sayiiing. "

"Ah… Kakashi-taichou?"

Kakashi jumped on his feet, grabbed his brand new kouhai by the shoulder and pushed him out of the break room. "Yes, Tenzou-kun?" He asked calmly.

Still not used to the genuine (but strange) friendship that Anbu operatives showed in private, Tenzou needed a few seconds before recovering. "Ah… Hokage-sama is asking for you."

"Alright. Are you settling well?"

"Yes, taichou," he affirmed as he followed him out of the ANBU headquarters and toward the Hokage's residence. "I meant to thank you for vouching for me and getting me on your team. I understood that the kunoichi attacked by my impersonator was your friend."

Kakashi hummed noncommittally before jumping over the rooftops. Once they landed on the protected residence's roof, he replied: "She's safer with you on our side." Before Tenzou could say anything, Kakashi squeezed his shoulder and dropped on the ground where he disappeared in the hallways he was so familiar with.

Minato was waiting for him in his private office, sitting on a pillow behind his low desk. He gave Kakashi his full attention as soon as he stepped in, his blue eyes cool and assessing.

"When I asked you to find more about Maiko, that's _not_ what I meant," he stated firmly. It wasn't a reproach but a warning that if Kakashi didn't have anything satisfying to say for his defense he wouldn't like the result.

Kakashi went on one knee and lowered his head. "I'm not playing with her feelings if that's what you're worried about, Minato-sensei."

"I'm worried that you're playing with a double-edged blade that you didn't mastered yet."

"Sensei?"

"You're an excellent shinobi Kakashi, but on some matters Maiko might still beat you."

Kakashi raised his head slowly. "Paperwork?" He tried to joke.

"Emotions," Minato replied cryptically.

* * *

 _The longest chapter I ever wrote **and** with the romance I promised you (remember: Genma/Maiko is endgame and there will be Genma/Maiko/Kakashi, don't stress, just enjoy the ride). Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone! I hope you like your gift! _

_Next chapter will come next year so I wish you all a reaaaally nice end to 2016. Enjoy!_


	10. Stopping Bullies!

One morning in late April, when the cherry trees had already lost most of their flowers but the weather was still cool, I sat on the side of my bed with Kakashi draped over my back, his chin on my shoulder as he watched me pull on stockings.

I couldn't help but chuckle at his fascination. "I didn't think that it was _so_ erotic," I teased him.

"I didn't think so either," he admitted. "Jiraiya-sama made it sounded a little over the top, but there is something about the gesture…"

He hummed and adjusted his position to be able to reach around me. "May I?"

I nodded, and his long, callous fingers gently caressed the skin of my outer thigh before stroking the soft but thick fabric of the stockings.

They were black and stopped mid-thigh. I recently found them in the back of my closet, a remnant of a time — three years ago — when I still could put on clothes just for the pleasure of being nicely dressed instead of being professional for six days (and being a wreck the seventh). When I had tried them to check if they still fit, Kakashi had stepped out of the bathroom. He hadn't been quick enough to hide his interest.

We both had the morning free today, so I had offered to explore the subject with him. It had taken a little bit of persuasion, but after two weeks and a demi-dozen encounters, he was getting used to the idea that I would get him to admit all his little secrets, one way or another. He didn't need to talk to tell me what he liked.

His thumb went under the fabric, pulling it down a little bit. He shrugged. "Yeah, it's the way you put them on, I think, just… slowly and nicely…"

I hummed in understanding. "So it's not the stockings themselves?"

"Maa... they're elegant, and you've beautiful legs so… pretty sure it might help too," he replied, deadpan.

I chuckled and nudged him. "Alright, I get it. So I keep them on?"

"Sure." Kakashi pulled the knitted blanket I kept for cuddle time over our shoulders and touched it curiously. It was really soft. "You said this was your grandmother's work, right?"

I hummed in agreement as I leaned against him.

Kakashi distractedly adjusted his position for my own comfort. "Was she a seamstress? Like your aunt?"

"No. Knitting was just a hobby to unwind. She was a medic-nin." I sighed and wrapped my arms around his waist to make my position with my head on his shoulder more comfortable.

"The war?" He asked at my use of the past tense.

"Yeah, the war," I sighed. "She was in Chuou."

Kakashi nodded in understanding. Chuou was infamous. It was one of the worst defeats of Konoha, a time at the beginning of the war when we had been at our lowest. The advanced outpost, a small fortified village at the border, had been razed to the ground by Iwa. Many shinobi had indiscriminately lost their lives there, buried by Doton jutsu.

"She died a week before her sons. They were on another battlefront, against Kumo," I remembered absentmindedly. "I still was at the Academy at the time. They spoke of Chuou like it was the sacrifice of martyrs and promised us that they had died like heroes. I got my first and only detention then…"

"You did?"

I hummed with my eyes closed. "I told our sensei that I didn't need my grandma to be buried under a war hospital to know that she was an hero, so he should rather tell us how to stop unnecessary deaths instead of glorifying them."

There were a few seconds of silence before Kakashi asked: "What did your mother say?"

I sighed. "After my detention, we went to the Memorial Stone…"

o

… _I'd never come here before. It reminded me of Kakashi standing there, losing time to the long period of mourning that eroded his life. I pushed my hands a little deeper in my pockets and glowered at the polished stone showing lists of names. It was the proof of a twisted world glorifying martyrs in order to enroll and brainwash kids to carry on the tradition of meaningless wars and killings, in my opinion._

 _I glared at it, lips pursed in displeasure. Despite having agreed to go to the Academy, to learn how to defend myself, I still wasn't looking forward to the life of a kunoichi._

" _Maiko-chan," Midori sighed, crouching to drop off a bunch of flowers (hibiscus, my grandma's favorites, and carnations, my father and uncle's favorites). "Everyone deals with death, mourning and grief in their own way."_

" _I know that," I grumbled, still scowling._

" _Your sensei was lenient with you for this reason. You realize this, don't you?"_

 _I stayed stubbornly quiet._

" _You insulted the memories of shinobi who died for Konoha."_

 _I bit my bottom lip and kept my tears in check. "That's not what I meant."_

" _I know. Your sensei probably understands too. He knows you well by now." She gently brushed her fingers against a name. I recognized it belatedly as her mother's name (my maternal grandmother, who had died long before my birth). "You're different. You've a vision of the world that often puzzles me. You make it a strength… but it can just as well be your downfall."_

 _I clenched my fists. "What do you mean?"_

 _She faced me and put her hands over my shoulders. "Maiko… I might not be able to understand what you've left behind and the way you see the world, but I don't think it's wrong for all that. You know this, don't you?"_

 _I nodded slightly. Midori had been incredibly open-minded._

" _Maybe you should return the favor," she said gently. "Your grandma… she stayed in Chuou despite the order to evacuate, to save as many people as she could. She_ _ **is**_ _a hero and a martyr. She died for what she believed in. She should be remembered as such."_

 _I lowered my head and sniffled, trying to push back the tears._

" _Whatever issues you have against this word, this concept… you have to try to understand… how it matters to others. Do you think you can do that?"_

 _I nodded, tears running down my cheeks and shoulders shaking. I cried for a minute in my mother's embrace before I managed to stammer: "B-but… this war… it doesn't make sense. All these deaths and for what?!"_

" _You're right. The war doesn't make sense, but the lives of those who defend our country do. They know their purpose and they have faith…"_

" _In what?!" I asked brusquely, looking for a tissue in my pockets now that snot was going down my nose._

" _In the idea that those they are protecting, those that come after them, will do better. That together we can one day reach peace."_

 _I pulled a tissue under my nose and stared in Midori's eyes, her green iris filled with a faith that I was envious of. "Oh," I realized silently, "so_ _ **that's**_ _the Will of Fire."_

" _When I look at you, Maiko," Midori continued, oblivious to my revelation, "I see hope. Hope that another way is possible." She glanced at the flowers and her eyes glazed over slightly. "They thought the same way." We watched the monument for a long moment before she could finish her thought: "But you have to remember..."_

" _What?" I asked, wiping my nose and cheeks._

" _... sometimes you've to meet people halfway."_

o

Lost in my thoughts, I needed a few seconds to realize that I didn't finish my sentence. Kakashi seemed understanding; he didn't push me to answer.

"Do you believe in the Will of Fire?" I asked impulsively.

He glanced at me thoughtfully. "Do you?"

I looked away, unable to hold the gaze of the Rokudaime Hokage when I was doubting the very philosophy his village was built on. I stared into space.

In my previous life, I was an atheist, but I had also believed that death was the end, that nothing waited beyond. Look how that had turned out…

I ran a hand through my hair and thought back to the trust my family had shown when they had learned my secret. Only my mother was left from those I had told the truth to but they had stood by me, always. "I envy those who can have faith without faltering," I admitted, thinking of the Hokages, past, present and future. "I'm not sure I can hold on to such a belief… but I can do my best for those who do. Pretty sure that's the next best thing, isn't it?"

Kakashi slowly tilted his head in agreement.

I smiled and kissed his cheek. "So… that conversation became weird. No idea how we went from stockings to the Will of Fire," I joked to lighten the mood.

Instead of answering, he captured my lips for a kiss, a warm hand going from the edge of the stockings to my panties, his thumb playing gently with the fabric.

oOo

The following days were disturbed by a missing shinobi alert. Hunter-nin had been sent to look for Uchiha Hideaki after he'd disappeared in the middle of his mission, leaving his student alone in a town a few dozen kilometers away from Konoha.

Proving how mature and clear-headed he was, Itachi hadn't panicked. He'd used the town's messenger system to ask for instructions, and a team had been sent to retrieve him and investigate his jounin's disappearance. They had come back unsuccessful and the hunter-nin had been deployed.

A jounin just didn't disappear. Either he had been kidnapped or he had deserted. Neither options were good and Uchiha Fugaku didn't like this turn of events _at all_.

"What about my son?" He asked at the end of a heated meeting during which veiled accusations had been thrown by both parties. "He can't stay without a sensei."

"We'll be looking for a replacement," Minato promised.

"It's not the usual period for jounin-sensei application, so it will take me at least a week," Shikaku said.

"And in the meantime?"

"He can either take a week of vacation…"

"He has already been held back enough because of your insistence on keeping him on inside missions for so long!"

"... or we can find him a temporary administrative position…" Minato continued calmly.

From my position on Minato's right, I attracted his attention by discreetly raising my hand.

He blinked then went along with it: "He can shadow my assistants. It would give him practical knowledge of the inner workings of Konoha in a way that his short time in the Academy and his field training couldn't give him."

Fugaku hesitated. He had been ready to protest the idea that his oldest son would be wasting his time with administrative work but Minato had a point, and it was obvious that the Uchiha had high hopes for their prodigy: Hokage-level hopes. To let Itachi observe the inner workings of the Hokage office was to their advantage and it was an unique opportunity.

The father glanced at his son, who had stayed dutifully silent through the meeting unless he was directly spoken to. Itachi blinked, looking surprised that his opinion had been requested. He nodded once.

"Very well," Fugaku agreed before staring at me directly. "I'll entrust him to you."

Itachi stood up from his chair to bow at the waist. "Please take care of me."

I did the same and gave him a soft smile.

I was squealing with delight inside.

Haruka? Not so much. "Don't you think we have enough work?" She asked after hearing the news.

"Don't worry Haruka-san, I will handle him. He is smart and mature. I'm sure he will be helpful."

She sighed and shook her head, tidying up her desk a little too brusquely. "I just don't understand your fascination for strays. First, you twisted Naruto-kun around your little finger, then it was that prankster kid—"

"Iruka-kun."

"... and now the Uchiha clan heir. Who is next is anyone's guess…"

I chuckled and shrugged. "What can I say? I like helping kids. I might have been a teacher in a previous life." I was. And I missed it.

oOo

The next day, Itachi arrived five minutes early and so silently that I had to do a double-take to notice him. He was watching me quietly, standing at attention in front of my desk.

Holding back a surprised jerk, I blinked at him. "Well, that won't do. You look like a mini-ANBU."

Itachi looked down at his clothes, high-quality but simply cut in navy blue with the Uchiha crest on his back. It was… boring but practical.

"Not your attire, Itachi-kun. Your attitude," I explained kindly. "As assistants to the Hokage, we're in contact with many people, from the shinobi forces to the civilians or clients. It's part of our job to be welcoming and sociable. Please, loosen your stance, relax your expression and always greet people you're in contact with properly."

He immediately did as asked, his shoulders going down slightly as he said placidly: "Good morning, Maiko-san."

I smiled at him kindly. "There, that's much better. Good morning, Itachi-kun. Now, first order of business, I'm going to introduce you to the people you'll be in contact with the most and show you a few things that you need for reference. If you've any question, ask right away, do not hesitate." I gathered a clipboard and a few papers before standing.

The office was quiet today. Raidou and Iwashi were the ones on guard duty, with Genma being either off-duty or on shadow duty, which mean no jokes or teasing. Kakashi was gone too, my guess being that he had been sent on the team trying to find Uchiha Hideaki since he was a good tracker.

With no distractions, I focused on work and Itachi.

He was truly disconcerting, no matter how open-minded I was trying to be. I wasn't used to working with a little genius and, since he wasn't really forward with his opinion and needs, it took me at least two days to know where we stood. By then, I had pinpointed (or at least I thought so) what kind of things needed to be explained and what was just obvious for him.

It wouldn't surprise anyone that I went by Kakashi's own strengths and difficulties. Those two were really alike.

Except for one detail: Itachi's upbringing as heir to the Uchiha clan head.

It showed in little details but each one added up until it made me want to throttle his parents and all the clan members who had contributed to his fucked up education.

By the end of the third day, we were alone in a backroom when I gave up and stated while looking him in the eye: "Itachi-kun, I don't care about your clan, your status or your reputation. Whenever we're alone together, you're allowed to sit in another way than seiza, to yawn when you're tired, to speak up when you need to or any of those other things you've been told to never ever do because the truth is... those actions are so normal that it wouldn't even register on me to ever care or mention it to anyone else."

He stared at me with an ounce of surprise.

"Alright?"

He nodded slowly.

I smiled and winked. "Good." I pulled a little paper bag from a pouch, gave it to him and raised a finger to my lips. "Don't say anything to Genma. Those are the last ones."

He opened it to discover small cookies and immediately brought one to his lips, nibbling on it slowly as he glanced at me to check my reaction at the fact that he was eating while we were working. I chuckled and went back to showing him how to archive files.

Half an hour later, when it was time for him to leave, I noticed the paper bag wasn't empty yet and asked him if he didn't like them. Usually any sweet didn't last long around him but I had tried a new recipe this time, with hazelnuts, maybe he didn't like that.

He smiled slightly and replied: "They are very good. I want to share the last one with my little brother."

Touched, I stopped myself from making some embarrassing noise and smiled back. "Sasuke-kun, right? Naruto-kun talks a lot about him. Well, then, you'll have to tell me if he liked it."

He nodded in agreement. "Good evening, Maiko-san."

"You too, Itachi-kun." I waved my fingers distractedly at his back as I tidy up my desk before leaving too.

"You gave him the last cookies."

"Of course I did," I replied without looking up. "He's the kid here, if you're confused."

"Ouch," Genma said as he stood with his hands in his pockets. "I guess I deserve this one."

I raised an eyebrow and briefly glanced at him as I stood up from my chair. "I _was_ expecting better than you pulling away because I'm with Kakashi. I thought we were friends, but if you wanted to keep our relationship strictly professional _or_ anything else for the matter you should have just…"

"No," Genma interrupted. "Look… Can we talk somewhere more private?"

I watched him for a few seconds of careful consideration.

It had hurt when Genma had become more distant as soon as he learned about Kakashi and me. Somehow, I had felt guilty until I'd forced myself to remember that I had no reason to. I refused double standards and if he was sleeping with whoever he wanted so could I.

He had still been friendly, but he hadn't been a good friend these last weeks and I didn't like it at all. If he wanted to explain himself and put things right, then I wasn't going to sulk uselessly and make us both more miserable.

I nodded, grabbed my coat and followed him out of the Hokage tower.

We stopped in a quiet and isolated place near a river and sat on the grass to watch the water flow.

"Look, I'm sorry for being an idiot these last weeks or even before," he said. "Just because I'm not as well adjusted at dealing with feelings as I thought…" He interrupted himself, raised a knee to rest an arm on it and ran a hand over his head, removing his bandana and ruffling his hair.

I watched him silently, unused to seeing his hair uncovered. It made me want to touch it and ruffle it too.

"What I'm trying to say is that… it's on me, and I'm done being an idiot about it if you still want me as a friend."

I leaned toward him to knock my shoulder against his. "Of course, I do, silly."

He smiled sheepishly. "Good. Also..."

"Mh?" I tilted my head back and smiled softly. He looked cute like this.

His lips parted slightly before he blinked, flinched and covered it quickly with a teasing smirk. "Did you find that spot that makes him flinch yet?"

"Wha—?"

"It's hilarious, he's so self-conscious about it!"

I gaped at him. "Sage, help me… did you really sleep with half of our generation?"

Genma burst into laughter, throwing his head back joyfully. "Maybe! Also, if you tickle him just so..."

"No, don't tell me!" I hit him in the shoulder. "You'll take half the fun out of it!"

He laughed until he toppled over me and, with his chin over my shoulder, continued with his gossip: "Oh, and do you know that Raidou and Rin _finally_ kissed?"

I swore and tried to push him away. He clinged to me like a limpet. "Shut up! I don't wanna hear your outrageous gossip!" I said, entirely unable to stop laughing at his silly behavior.

"And Iwashi is scared because his girlfriend is talking about babies!"

I facepalmed, groaned, and laid back, resigned to hear everything I had missed of the gossip mill lately. Genma simply adjusted his position to stretch across my belly.

I sighed, but it was strangely comfortable.

Charming idiot.

oOo

The hunter-nin came back two days later. They found Uchiha Hideaki, dead and disfigured. That was all the information I learned from the grapevine. The details were kept secret.

From the little I knew, I didn't like it at all. Call me paranoid, but a disfigured Uchiha led me to think about stolen eyes and a creepy elder with a vendetta against the clan and a bad habit of stealing kekkai genkai.

I kept a careful eye over Itachi that day. He had withdrawn into his shell and it was impossible to get an emotion out of him. I offered to let him go back home early but he refused firmly (but politely, of course).

The next morning, I stepped into the office a little late, having run into a young career genin that needed a little help with finding his way in administrative hell.

Having done my first good action of the day, I was in a good mood. It dissolved at the exact second I realized a low, insidious killing intent was projected around my desk and directed towards my little protégé. Itachi was standing and seemed to face up to this threat quite well, looking as calm as ever at first sight, but his fingers were curled nervously near his thigh holsters.

Morino Ibiki was the threat and no one, not Haruka-san nor the guards, Raidou and Iwashi, was moving a little finger to stop it.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" I spat out, articulating each word harshly and charging at Ibiki like a boar protecting its young. He had to step back to avoid the swat I was aiming at his arm. Satisfied that I was now standing between Itachi and this boor, I ignored the twenty centimeters that he had over me and glared at him with all my might. "Explain yourself!" I demanded.

"I was mainly asking him a few questions about his sensei," Ibiki said calmly, without batting an eye at my fury.

"You want to talk to him, you do it by the rules, you asshat! Get a warrant! You ever bully a fucking eight years old again and I will report you! Is that clear?!"

"He's a genin."

I hit the roof. "HE'S EIGHT!" I stood on tip-toe with my fists clenched and I shouted in his face. "EIGHT!" Sage stopped me. I've never wanted to punch someone so badly (while sober).

"He's a genin and a person of interest in a sensitive investigation," Ibiki insisted mercilessly. "I'm doing my duty to Konoha. I suggest that you remember to do the same instead of letting your emotions take over your judgement."

A wave of cold detachment went through me. Attacks against my person and my competence, that I could deal with, that I was familiar with.

Small fingers touched my wrist gently as Itachi tried to step around me. I latched onto his hand and pulled him back behind me.

"Show me a warrant. Ask an ANBU to confirm you're following the Hokage's orders. Then I'll comply. In the meantime, Morino-san, I'm doing exactly what I'm supposed to do. I'm protecting a citizen of Konoha from a threat," I hissed. "Don't think you can hide behind your duty to excuse your bullying. You're way out of line. Killing intent against an ally is uncalled for. Against a child, it's _unacceptable_. Get out of my sight unless you want to bring this to the Hokage's attention."

"What makes you think he'll agree with you?"

"The day the Hokage tells me what you did is acceptable is the day I resign and move to the capital after adopting as many orphans as I can to teach them gardening."

Ibiki hummed, still staring me down as if he was judging me. He turned around and left without a word.

"Good riddance," I grumbled before turning to my desk, grabbing the pile of mail waiting for me and turning toward the hallway going around the Hokage's office. "Come on, Itachi. Let's go for a walk. I need some air."

We passed by Haruka and the guards in silence. I had nothing good to say to them. We went up the stairs leading to the rooftop. The weather was good enough that we could work here for a while as long as we stayed sitting in the sun.

"Maiko-san," Itachi said after a few minutes, "you shouldn't have intervened…"

I interrupted him by slamming a letter into the ground and looking him in the eye. "Itachi-kun. I might give you the wrong impression with the fact I always have to remind some idiots of your age, but I'm aware of your competence and intelligence. I'm not doubting you and your skills. Still, there is something that only age can brings you: experience. And I'm not talking about experience on the battlefield. I'm talking about the experience that brings you self-awareness and self-assurance. I'm talking about going through years of bullshit being thrown at you before realizing what are your limits and how to enforce them."

I breathed in sharply and adjusted my position cross-legged. "That's why your age matters, no matter how smart you are, Itachi-kun: until you're able to tell how much is too much, you deserve to have someone helping you to determine when you're being cheated. That was the case here. What Morino did was _wrong_. You've rights and they should be enforced. He is smart. He cornered you at a time when he knew you were vulnerable, but you don't have to take this kind of bullshit quietly, alright? And don't ever trust those kind of people at face value!"

I inhaled to continue my rant when a small hand touched my knee.

Itachi was looking at me with a strangely soft expression. "Thank you, Maiko-san."

Taken aback for a second, I recovered and patted his hand gently. "Anytime, Itachi-kun, anytime."

An hour later, we were back to my desk. That's where Ibiki dropped the warrant that ordered the interrogation of Itachi. I read it carefully before nodding. "It's in order."

Ibiki smirked and Itachi stood up from his chair.

"You can take him with you as soon as one of his parents is here," I concluded calmly.

They both froze.

"Excuse me?" Ibiki growled.

I raised an eyebrow at him. "The interrogation of a genin can only be done under the supervision of one of his guardians. Considering that Itachi doesn't currently have a sensei, this only leaves his parents. I trust that you already informed them of this procedure and, as such, it's only a matter of minutes before they arrive. You're welcome to take a seat behind you while you wait."

He stared me for an uncomfortably long time before huffing and smirking slightly. "You're good."

"Contrary to popular belief, I didn't get this job for my dazzling looks and sunny attitude," I replied, unfazed, before turning to Itachi. "While you might be alone with an interrogator, you may demand to see your guardian at anytime during the interrogation. They have no right to refuse and your guardian should be able to see you and hear you through the whole interrogation. Don't let them bully you into thinking any different, alright?"

He nodded slowly.

"Do you have any question?" I nudged him gently.

"What— What are their limits?"

I smiled to reward him for a smart question. "This is only an interrogation of a person of interest in an ongoing investigation. Unless they charge you for anything, they're not allowed to hold you prisoner, to hurt you physically, to put you under genjutsu or to use any kind of technique that can be considered torture. If they charge you, you've the right to know about what and to see the official warrant. As a minor, you're allowed daily contact with your guardians, and they're not allowed to hurt you physically or to deprive you of water."

Itachi relaxed slowly as he learned what to expect.

Ibiki stared at me thoughtfully. "You did your research."

"Yes, I did, because bullies like you exist." And when you were at the bottom of the ladder, you had to be smarter and know better.

Fugaku arrived, looking displeased, and they left together.

I waved my fingers at Itachi and gave him a small encouraging smile. He smiled back tentatively.

I'd better get him back in the same state I left him or else… I would make sure my reputation in the Intelligence Division was entirely deserved.

 **O**

 **\- FIRST OMAKE -**

"You did well, son."

Itachi bowed his head in thanks for the compliment, staying quiet as they walked into the Uchiha compound after coming back in silence from the Intelligence Headquarters.

"Did anyone bother you before I came?" Fugaku asked.

"Morino-san tried, but Maiko-san didn't let him. She was very protective."

"Is that so?"

"Yes," Itachi confirmed, feeling a little emboldened since his father seemed interested. "She told him off for trying to 'bully' me, as she called it. She didn't let him take me away before you came either."

Fugaku watched him closely. "You like her."

"Yes, Otou-san. She's kind and she taught me much."

"Did she?"

"Yes, she would make a good sensei."

Fugaku hummed thoughtfully. "Did she talk about the Uchiha?"

Itachi hesitated.

"Any questions about our clan?" Fugaku specified.

The genin relaxed. That was easier to answer without saying anything about Maiko's distaste for clan politics. "No, otou-san. I believe she only agreed to oversee me because she likes children and she likes to teach. Her colleagues made comments suggesting that it's usual for her."

They reached their house, and Fugaku nodded. "That seems consistent with what I heard. Good. Learn as much as you can from her. It will be useful one day."

"Yes, otou-san." Itachi hid a pleased smile as he leaned forward to remove his sandals.

Small feet were heard as Sasuke hurried to greet them.

As soon as they were alone, his little brother tugged on his hand with hopeful eyes.

Itachi smiled gently. "Sorry, otouto. I don't have any cookies today. Maybe tomorrow." If he understood Maiko well, she was bound to spoil him tomorrow to make up for today.

 **O**

 **\- SECOND OMAKE -**

Pressing his face in his hand, Raidou stared at his best friend who was groaning against the table.

Genma groaned and rolled his forehead against the wood. "Why is it so hard?! I… I was going to say it! I was ready to say it! And then… nothing… I blabbed about Kakashi instead of telling her the truth. I've never been so pathetic in my life."

"Agreed," Raidou said with a solemn nod.

Genma groaned some more before looking up and straightening to grab their bottle of sake. "What about you? Is she still giving you the cold shoulder?"

"Yep."

"Dude. I have to agree with her, though. Why didn't you step in? Killing intent against a kid, that's wrong."

Raidou frowned and looked down in his glass before guzzling its contents. He stayed quiet.

Worried by his friend's strange behavior, Genma frowned and glanced around briefly at the relatively empty bar before discreetly signing in ANBU code: "Orders?"

Raidou didn't confirm but it was confirmation enough.

"What the fuck?" Genma mouthed at him.

That wasn't like the Hokage at all. So who? And why?

* * *

 _ **Happy New Year** , dear readers! I hope 2017 will be good for you! May it give you a lot of good things to read and appreciate!_

 _Next chapter will be quite important plot-wise. Are you ready (the answer is no: I'm not even ready myself, I have 0% of it written and way too much ideas)?!_

 _ **EDIT** 16th of January: This chapter has been betaed by _**Sage Thrasher**. _Thank you so much to her._ _I recommend you check her own SI fics, they're definitely worth a try!_


	11. It's all downhill from here!

"Hello Maiko."

I looked up from the file I was focusing on. It was giving me an headache anyway. I blinked for a second at the person standing in front of me before I shook myself and grinned. "Aoba! Hi. What brings you here?"

"I was just passing by and…"

"You decided to check if I was still in office instead of in prison?" I joked.

He winced, proof that I was spot on.

"I've not been dragged into the dark abyss yet, despite the disagreement between the butchers and me," I reassured him while spreading my arms theatrically.

"The butchers?" Itachi repeated from the chair where he was reading the Code of Shinobi Law.

I smiled at him. He had come back to me without any apparent physical or mental trauma this morning, which I was quite pleased about. Despite his reassurances, I still wasn't convinced that he was 'alright', though. I definitely had given him more sweets than was sensible, but it made both of us happier. "It's the nickname of the Torture and Interrogation Force."

"A _bad_ nickname," Aoba whispered, pushing his sunglasses higher on his nose and checking that no-one was listening to us. "Is that really the sort of things you should teach him, Maiko?"

"He's here to learn about the work and life of paper-pushers. The awful nicknames are an important part of it. You can't fit in without them."

"There are more?" Itachi asked curiously.

"Of course," I replied eagerly, "at least one for each group. More when they're really interesting or annoying. For example..."

"Maiko!" Aoba protested with a hiss.

I chuckled and winked at Itachi. "More on that later. It will be lunch soon. Do you mind getting what I prepared from the fridge in the break room, Itachi-kun?"

The genin shook his head, closed the book and put it down on his chair before leaving quietly.

As soon as he was out of sight, I stood up and led Aoba towards an empty corridor. "I need a favor," I admitted.

He frowned, made hand seals and murmured the name of a genjutsu I knew would interfere with anyone listening. He had used it before. "Maiko..." he started to say.

I stopped him with a raised hand. "Don't worry, I'm not asking you to stick your neck for me. It's a small favor."

"I'm listening."

"If anything happens. Like… the worst case scenarios going through your head right now. If it happens, there are chances you'll learn about it quickly with your position in Intelligence, am I right?"

"I suppose," he agreed carefully.

"I just want you to warn my mum personally… if it happens."

"Maiko…"

I shook my head and smiled gently. "I know you only met her once but I promise she won't burst into tears in your arms or whatever you're fearing."

"That's not what I'm worried about," he replied curtly. "Maiko, why do you look convinced that something will happen? Is it that bad? I only heard that you pissed off Morino-san but that's nothing new, you piss off people on a weekly basis, and Morino-san is not that important… not yet."

I looked around and stared at the bare walls of the hallway and rubbed my arms, looking for some warmth and comfort.

I had spent the previous night thinking about the events of yesterday. For the first time today, I let some of the emotions I was feeling show as I looked Aoba in the eye. I'd projected bravado and nonchalance only for Itachi's benefit. I was an anxious mess inside. I felt like I was on a slippery slope slowly getting steeper and I couldn't see the end of it… How would it end? In a bottomless ravine? I had barely slept last night.

"Maiko," he whispered with worry.

"I… have a bad feeling," I admitted slowly.

"Bad enough that I might need to talk to your mother."

"Yes. I'm not asking for anything else, Aoba, just that she won't be the last one to know if anything happen. Please."

He sighed, cursed under his breath, but nodded. "Alright."

"Thank you." Feeling slightly better now that this detail was dealt with, I stepped forward and raised my arms for a hug.

He embraced me briefly. "That's not the kind of trouble I imagined you'd give me the first time we met," he admitted.

I chuckled and stepped back. "I'm full of surprises."

"That, you are," he agreed. "Is it true you're sleeping with Hatake?"

I tutted. "A lady never tells." I walked back toward the office.

He stayed where he was but asked: "If you are, why isn't he the one speaking to your mother?"

"Because…" I spun around. "I don't trust him as much as I trust you." I winked and turned back, knowing that would motivate him even more to do as I asked. That was a little manipulative of me, but it wasn't like I lied: I didn't trust Kakashi in the same way I trusted Aoba. With this favor in particular, I knew that Kakashi could have many reasons not to do as I requested. I couldn't take the risk.

I passed by Raidou and Genma, smiling at the second and ignoring the first. It was rare, but I knew how to hold a grudge, especially when it involved doubting the loyalty of someone I considered a friend. I hated to distrust him, but the seed of suspicion had been sowed. I couldn't afford to ignore it until I saw how it grew.

oOo

"I heard you're giving Raidou and Iwashi the cold shoulder."

"Are you going to tell me off for it?"

I glanced over my shoulder, still standing in front of the rice pudding I was cooking to avoid it boiling over. Kakashi had made himself at home at the dinner table, his book of the week in hand. Although he would probably deny it if asked, I was pretty sure that he had gotten fond of my cooking… or maybe just of not having to do anything to get some homemade food.

He raised a judgemental eyebrow at me.

I laughed quietly. "Yeah, that's not your style."

"Mh… You're more forgiving usually. As proven with Genma..."

"Genma admitted his mistake and apologized," I pointed out as I turned off the cooker and poured the rice pudding in a dish to cool down.

"What do you want them to apologize for? Not meeting your standards?"

I froze with my hand on the fridge's handle and stared at him. That was an obvious attempt to provoke me, but I couldn't figure out why. In doubt, I stayed calm and replied nonchalantly as I continued to make dinner: "Maybe."

"You've high standards."

"Not really. I'm sleeping with you."

"Ouch," Kakashi said, resting his closed book over his heart as he pretended half-heartedly I had hurt him. "Fair enough."

"Just get to the point, Kakashi."

"Just wondering who is good enough for you."

I dropped the leeks I was preparing on the cutting board and stared at them for a second before shrugging and starting to chop them. "That's easy. Hokage-sama, obviously."

There was the sound of a chair scraping against the floor behind me before I felt Kakashi's breath against my ear. "What if he had been the one to give the order to Raidou and Iwashi?"

"He didn't," I replied firmly.

"How confident of you. He is the Hokage. Do you _really_ think he never dirtied his hands or those of his subordinates? Do you think he wouldn't put the good of Konoha over the well-being of one kid?"

My hand shook on the knife.

"All that you see is the bright leaves of the tree. What do you know of its shadows? Of what goes behind the scenes to keep your little world comfortable and happy?" His hand rested over mine.

I shook it off and forced him to move back with an elbow in his ribs. "I know enough," I replied firmly. "Minato-sama didn't give the order," I repeated.

"That sounds like a prayer."

"Maybe because it is."

"Why?"

"Because if he did, life is pointless and I might as well throw myself from the Hokage's mountain, alright!" I shouted, breathing fast, too fast. Anxiety was back in full force. "Stop pushing, Kakashi! I don't know what you're trying to prove. That I'm a naive fool with a big crush on the Hokage? Anyone can tell you that. Danzou would be really happy to do so! So what? What's your point?" I turned around to glare at him and lifted my chin defiantly. "That's who I am and I won't apologize for it. If you've a problem with that, just get out and leave me in peace!"

He looked at me silently, with the lazy expression of a cat sizing you up.

Tears had come up to my eyes, and I felt self-conscious of them. I was the first to look away. I pushed him back for good measure, pretending to go back to cooking to hide my emotions. I felt too raw, ready to burst into tears if he pushed just a tiny bit more. Once upon a time, in a previous life, if that happened, I'd have run to hide in my bedroom for some peace. In this life, I was just as likely to chase Kakashi out with sharp blades… and we all knew that wouldn't end well for me.

Kakashi put a hand on my shoulder and turned me toward him, but I kept my head angled away. Nonetheless, I felt his lips on my cheek.

"Sorry," he whispered.

I blinked quickly, sniffed and glanced at him hesitantly. He used the opportunity to kiss my lips, but I turned away again. "No," I grumbled.

He backed off obediently. "Do you want me to leave?"

I shrugged. "I already started to prepare dinner for two. Just… leave me alone until it's ready."

"Alright."

Half an hour later, we were eating dinner in uncomfortable silence. I knew that Kakashi would bail as soon as he had eaten which would be…

"Thank you for the meal…"

Now.

I grabbed him by the wrist before he could run, even if I hadn't time to finish my rice pudding (seriously, eating so quickly couldn't be good for him). I stood up and draped an arm around his shoulders as he watched me cautiously.

"I know of the shadows, and I can guess what goes behind the scenes. Just because I strive for the best doesn't mean I ignore the worst… or that I condemn those whose work allow me to hold onto... what I guess is a privileged view for some. It's just… who I am, Kakashi." After a few seconds of silence, I stammered: "I don't know how to…"

"You said you didn't believe in the Will of Fire," he interrupted me suddenly, "that you couldn't have faith, or hold onto this belief…"

I nodded.

"... Yet, I never met someone who embodies it so well that it became more than a will. It's your guideline."

Baffled, I stared at him, speechless.

"Maybe you don't see it because you can't imagine another way," he said thoughtfully, tilting his head with a hint of amusement. "The Will of Fire, it's supposed to help us remember our ultimate goal when missions make us doubt and falter. To remember we fight and act to protect our village, our people, the generations to come. When the missions are gruesome, you have to believe it's for the right cause… even when children get hurt in the way… Itachi getting intimidated would have been for the good of the village."

I immediately went to protest.

He chuckled softly. "... and yet, what's the point if you're attacking the same children you promised yourself time and time again that you were defending, right?"

I blinked, slowly understanding his point. "Right."

He poked the tip of my nose. "And for someone who isn't capable of faith, you sure do believe a lot in Minato-sensei."

"Duh. He's Minato-sama!" I replied, spreading my hands raised toward the ceiling.

He smiled behind his mask. "I know."

His smile was contagious. I bit my lower lip as I grinned. His eyes followed the movement, and I barely needed to pull on his mask for him to swoop in for a kiss.

He grabbed the back of my thighs, lifted me and pressed me against the nearest wall. I held onto his vest firmly as I chased the sweet taste of the pudding on his tongue.

When we separated briefly to breathe, I whispered: "You were right. I have high standards… and you meet all of them."

He huffed and nuzzled my cheek but didn't reply or let me continue this line of thought.

oOo

"I'm sorry, Maiko-san. I'm making you late and giving you even more work," Itachi said with remorse.

"Don't worry about it, Itachi-kun. Mistakes happen to the best of us and it's easy enough to fix. It's just a misplaced file. If it's where you think it is, it won't take us too much time," I replied gently, hoping that it would indeed be as simple as that.

It was late. We were both supposed to have left twenty minutes ago, but my usual evening check-up had shown a file was missing. Itachi was supposed to have taken care of it but, despite his attempts to prove otherwise, he was clearly still shaken and I wouldn't blame him for such a small thing.

We were in the secured archives and technically Itachi wasn't supposed to be here, but I hated to let him out of my sight and no-one would know about it anyway... right?

"Haruka-san?" I frowned in surprise at seeing my coworker hunched over a drawer. "You're working late too? Is there an emergency I should help you with?"

She flinched and looked up, wide-eyed. "Maiko… and Itachi-kun," she said, catching sight of the boy. "What are you doing here?" she asked bluntly.

"Just a quick errand," I replied distractedly, stepping forward with my head tilted to glance at the files Haruka was going through. This was the row for personal files of highly classified personnel, mostly ANBU. The open drawer contained files starting with 'HA', and I caught sight of the red seal used for high level assets.

The drawer slammed shut violently. I startled at the noise.

"An errand? Maiko-san, you know Uchiha-kun isn't allowed here!" Haruka said brusquely.

"Not without supervision," I agreed, "but…"

"No but! Get out! You're taking too many liberties, Maiko-san. Be more serious!"

There was something wrong. Her voice was too shrill, her protest too vehement, her behavior just slightly excessive, as if she was upset or... afraid.

I went to reply, slowly lifting a hand toward my obi, when I was suddenly pushed aside.

"Watch out!" Itachi shouted.

Two shuriken hit the lockers, barely missing me.

As I turned around to face the threat and help Itachi, Haruka suddenly threw herself at me, a blade in hand. In close quarters, I had little space to maneuver and avoid her. I blocked her first attack and pushed her back with a kick, hurling her against the metal cupboard that rattled loudly. As I grabbed my weapons, I glanced to the side to see Itachi engaging a masked figure. ROOT.

Sage almighty… We were in trouble.

I could deal with being in trouble but Itachi being included? That wasn't acceptable. Genius or not, he still only was a genin!

Spurred by desperation, I batted away Haruka's attempt at stabbing me and hit her in the face with the blunt end of my closed fan before sending her sprawling on the floor with a high kick.

Haruka might be a Chuunin coming from the Jounin track but her specialities were genjutsu and ninjutsu. She didn't like taijutsu and didn't practice it much. It was a huge weakness in close quarters.

"Itachi. Switch!" I ordered, running at the ROOT agent who just dared to punch my little protégé in the gut.

Itachi rolled away without hesitation, and I had no doubt that he could deal with Haruka. I unfolded my fans to slash at the real threat.

I didn't have time to think, to analyse, to wonder how and why Haruka ended up working with/for ROOT. And for how long? Honestly, the details didn't matter right now. The result was speaking for itself and, if we survived this, the consequences would be enough to scare me into a panic attack before I could ponder the prelude.

Survival and protection instincts were the only thing driving me. I couldn't remember ever fighting so hard, not even that time when I faced an Iwa intruder.

I relied a lot on dodging for taijutsu and our environment limited me too much. I was forced to block and take hits more often than I'd like, until I was covered in bruises and wounds. Mere determination and focus helped me to ignore pain and continue fighting.

A quick and strong hit got me on the inner elbow, paralyzing my left arm and getting me to drop a fan. Handicapped, I was expecting to be quickly put out of commission, but the ROOT agent faltered and leaned on the side, as if unable to stay upright. I didn't question it and gave tit for tat, disarming him and hitting him in the throat. When he doubled over, I hit him as hard as I could on the back of his head. He dropped to the ground. I sat on his back and immobilized him with my legs and my working arm.

When I finally glanced up, it was to see Itachi standing in front of me, Haruka being tied up and unconscious behind him.

"Good job," I said, blinking in surprise.

He tilted his head in acknowledgement.

"Did you do something to get this guy distracted from me?"

"Yes. A simple genjutsu affecting his balance."

That's when I finally noticed that his eyes were red with the Sharingan (it wasn't as obvious as you would think, certainly not as much as the anime showed, with the characters' big inhuman eyes).

"Thanks," was the only thing I could think to say to that. I had a moment of hesitation, during which I realized that I just had one of the most difficult fight of my life against a colleague and a rogue agent, that this was a right mess and that I had no idea what to do from there.

A rope appeared in my field of vision.

Itachi was reminding me to tie up my opponent. It was standard protocol: fight, subdue and restrain. The genin was relying on the procedures ingrained in him and I was grateful for it. The simple steps were easy to follow. That was the exact reason why they were taught and repeated again and again: because after a fight and the adrenaline rush, you were left shaken and thinking logically was difficult. Without a superior to give orders, a young or inexperienced soldier could be left floundering… like me right now.

I tied him up, remembering the secure knots we had been taught and checking them twice.

When I looked up, Itachi was waiting. He looked patient, but his body language was tense, and he had turned in a way that let him see both of our prisoners.

Our eyes met. He was waiting for me. I was the chunin here. I was supposed to decide how to proceed.

… But I had no idea.

I rubbed my inner elbow, where sensations were only starting to come back, the first of them being pain. I winced, sighed, observed the scene and concluded very cleverly: "Well, this is a mess."

"This isn't a real ANBU, is he? His mask is different," Itachi pointed out, glancing at the ROOT agent distrustfully.

"No, he isn't. He isn't working for the Hokage." I stood up slowly and stepped toward Haruka.

"Was he blackmailing Haruka-san? Threatening her?"

I hesitated but shook my head slowly. "No. She wouldn't have attacked in this way if she was an unwilling accomplice."

Itachi watched me with a very solemn face. "So she's a traitor."

"I'm afraid so," I sighed.

A low hiss came from Haruka's mouth as she opened her eyes and shoot me a dirty look. "I'm no traitor."

"Your actions say otherwise," Itachi pointed out.

She struggled against her bonds and glared at me. "You're oh so self-righteous aren't you? The Hokage's favorite, to be looked after and cared for. All eyes on you all the time. This is your fault!"

"What is?" I frowned, dumbfounded. Haruka had always been the jealous kind but this was pushing it.

"They chose me because of you!"

"You're really not making any sense."

"I think I understand," Itachi said suddenly and I raised an eyebrow at him. "With all due respect, Maiko-san, you draw attention, and if everyone is too busy thinking about you and your actions then they won't think twice about Haruka-san, which makes her an ideal mole."

"I…" I stammered, frowned and pointed at myself. "I draw attention? Me? What? I don't… Wait." I stared at Haruka in dawning horror as understanding came to me. "When I was attacked at home… is that when...?"

"Yes," Haruka hissed. "They were all so busy being worried about you being a potential security breach. Did you know there were no ANBU, no guards around for a day at the Hokage's office?"

Left gaping, I stepped forward hesitantly. "Haruka-san… what did they do to you?"

She didn't answer, keeping her mouth tightly shut although her jaw clenched and she visibly struggled.

Feeling suspicious, I came closer and crouched down. "Sorry, but I need to check… open your mouth, Haruka-san."

She tilted her head, squinting at me. "How do you know…?"

I smiled fleetingly. "I'm full of surprises. Open."

She complied, sticking her tongue out without further prompting and confirming what I had already guessed: her tongue was branded with a seal. Danzou's mark.

"What is it?" Itachi breathed.

"A cursed seal," I replied absentmindedly, too busy thinking about what I should do, how to react. I looked back at the ROOT agent and then at Itachi. I had to prioritize: I had to protect him first and foremost, but I also needed to warn the Hokage somehow. "Itachi-kun, listen. You're going to find the Hokage and tell him what happened, alright? Go to the mansion, ask to speak to him urgently. Him, Jiraiya-sama, Shikaku-sama, Kakashi-san or Genma-san, they're the only ones you should trust. Do you understand?"

Itachi nodded solemnly.

"Don't let anyone else see you if you can."

Once Itachi was gone, I turned back to Haruka and her judgmental eyes.

"The Hokage can't save us all," she said scornfully.

"He's the best sealmaster of Konoha and beyond. If anyone can help you, it's him."

She shook her head and looked behind me. I barely had time to register her widening eyes that a kunai whistled past my ear and embedded itself in her throat to the hilt.

I jerked back, shouting in fright and horror as Haruka choked trying to scream. I spun around, getting ready to defend myself, but I only managed to catch sight of the ROOT agent disappearing behind the lockers and leaving behind sliced ropes.

"No," I whispered, kneeling by Haruka's side, "no, no, no!" I said louder until I shouted as I saw her suffocate in her own blood.

There was nothing I could do apart from crying but I tried anyway, my hands quickly getting painted red.

I barely registered the men that grabbed my arms and dragged me away as I shouted her name.

By the time I registered that the men handling me were regular ANBU and not ROOT, Haruka had long ago stopped breathing.

I was the only one near her corpse.

I was charged with her murder.

oOo CHANGES of PoV oOo

"Murder?"

Aoba pushed his sunglasses higher on his nose and nodded. "Yes, Kamizuki-san. I'm sorry I can't tell you more. The investigation is classified."

Midori sighed and waved a hand. "You did enough. Thank you."

Aoba bowed respectfully, feeling too unsettled by the situation to say anything more. Rumors had already spread when he arrived to work this morning: the Hokage's assistants had tried to kill one another and Maiko had butchered her opponent.

The news was going to spread in Konoha's high ranks, especially when regular shinobi would have to replace the two secretaries.

While Aoba didn't believe his friend would have killed Haruka (who happened to be a distant cousin of his, one whom he hadn't liked but still...), this was upsetting. What the hell had happened? He couldn't fathom what had led to this.

Midori watched him leave silently. As soon as he was out of hearing, she put her book away and reached for her wheelchair, pouring herself in it with even less consideration for her dead legs than usual. "Fucking Danzou," she muttered under her breath, "if you think for one second that I'll let you get away with ruining my daughter's life…" Hissing and puffing, she put on shoes and a blanket over her legs before rolling in the hallway.

"Midori-san? Are you going for a stroll?" A nurse asked.

"You can say that. I'm on the warpath."

"Oh… Kunai?"

Midori accepted the blade offered and grinned wickedly. "That's why you're my favorite, Akamichi-chan."

In the streets, Midori kept an eye on the rooftops and threw the kunai at the first giant green bird she saw.

Maito Gai dropped by in front of her a second later, offering back the kunai by the hilt with a mega-watt grin. "Kamizuki-san. I believe you lost this!"

"Yes, thank you," Midori agreed cheerfully, smiling at the courteous jounin. "Would you mind doing me a favor, Maito-kun?"

"It would be my pleasure, Ma'am! What can I do for you?"

"I need you to relay a message to a friend of yours…"

A few minutes later, after sending Gai to do half of the leg work, Midori arrived to the Nara clan compound and caught the attention of the dozing guard by nearly rolling on his foot. "I wish to see Nara Yoshino," she announced.

He let her in but not without grumbling under his breath as she moved away: "Crazy women attract each other."

Midori might have _lost_ her kunai again. Her bad.

oOo

"So, this didn't go as planned," Jiraiya pointed out.

Staring at the reports spread on his desk without really seeing them, Minato kept his head up only thanks to the fist it was resting on. He grunted in answer.

A knock at the door was followed by Genma stepping in, his senbon conspicuously absent. "Hokage-sama. Rin wishes to speak to you urgently," he announced, perfectly professional (a sure sign he was upset).

The door closed behind Rin, who walked to the desk and simply put down a key. "I was told to bring you this."

Minato stared at the item, bewildered. "By who? What is this for?"

"I don't know. Maiko asked me to keep it for her and Gai came by a few minutes ago, saying Kamizuki Midori requested I give it to you, which I'd guess has something to do with the rumor that Maiko is accused of _murder_ ," she said calmly, with a poise that showed exactly what she thought of the idea: nothing good.

"Ooh," Jiraiya murmured as he grabbed the key, "looks like Maiko-chan had a contingency plan. Nice foresight. Mh… Small key. Looks like something used to open a small container of some kind. Should I go talk to Midori-chan?"

A flash of chakra warned them of the arrival of Kakashi via the window. He waved at them with two fingers. "Yo."

"Do you have something for us?" Jiraiya asked, looking excited by the puzzle.

Kakashi blinked lazily. "News that Naruto and Itachi are safe with Mikoto-san?"

Jiraiya huffed and waved a hand dismissively.

Minato was more interested and asked: "Is Fugaku aware of the situation?"

"Itachi-kun gave him a report, as you allowed him to. Fugaku-san doubled the guards around their home."

Minato hummed in acknowledgement. After Itachi had appeared at his house yesterday evening and told him what happened, Minato had kept Itachi close to protect him from any backlash from Danzou. Then he had spent the night trying to make sense of all this mess, to make it right. He couldn't just sweep away the accusation against Maiko only based on Itachi's testimony. He needed a stronger defense.

Another knock at the door and Genma walked in to announce: "Nara Yoshino to see you urgently, Hokage-sama."

Shikaku shifted and sat up on the couch in the corner of the office, where he was stretching after a very early start to his day. He straightened and glanced at his wife as she stepped in.

"Yondaime-sama," Yoshino greeted him politely, "this has been entrusted to me and I've been asked to give it to you." She put down a rectangular wooden box in front of Minato.

Jiraiya moved forward cheerfully. "A box! And the key seems to fit! Perfect!"

"Thank you Yoshino," Minato replied, more reserved.

"When did you get that?" Shikaku asked as he stood up and smoothed out his ponytail absentmindedly.

"Maiko-san asked me to look after it two weeks ago," Yoshino explained. "I was to give it to you or Hokage-sama only if something happened to her. I was led to believe that it contained something like… a testament." Her voice was heavy with implied questioning as she stared at her husband.

Shikaku rubbed his face and shook his head. "We're not there yet. Thanks Yoshino. I'll keep you updated on what I can."

"See that you do."

After her departure, Jiraiya made a show of opening the box with the key, although he carefully checked for any traps as he did so.

They all watched as it opened without flourish to reveal a simple scroll… or not so simple: it was branded with a red seal: "Hokage's eyes only". Minato inhaled sharply.

"What is it?" Kakashi asked, leaning against a wall indolently but bending forward with interest.

"This looks like four others I've seen," Jiraiya noted, suddenly as serious as he could be.

Silently, Minato applied to the scroll a seal checking for any threats before opening it without delay. He glanced at its contents (or at least the start of it, as it looked quite thick and long) first. "It's the same author," he confirmed, "and it looks like... Maiko wrote it."

"The girl is our Mysterious Informant? Are you kidding me? How old was she when we got the first one? Twelve?"

"Mysterious In— Are you talking about the one who warned you about the Kannabi bridge mission?!" Kakashi straightened immediately. Rin's eyes widened.

"And the kidnapping attempt on Rin. And the fucking mess during Naruto's birth. And the kidnapping attempt on the Hyuuga's heiress. Yep, that's the one," Jiraiya confirmed as he tried to read over his student's shoulder.

"Are you sure Maiko wrote it, Minato?" Shikaku asked. "She might be a go-between."

"Same writing. And it starts like this…" Minato cleared his throat and read.

" _Hokage-sama,_

 _If you read this, I'm out of commission, one way or another. If I'm dead, let it be known that it was an honor and a pleasure working for you._

 _I didn't plan to offload all of this on you at once, but I had to take precautionary measures to ensure that those informations would reach you regardless of my status. That genjutsu fright reminded me of how fickle life is._

 _There is no going back after this, so let's be clear: yes, I, Kamizuki Maiko, am the one (and only) responsible for the information you received previously. For reasons I won't disclose here, I'm aware of past, present and future events, mostly focused on Konoha, but not exclusively. This knowledge is of no great interest if left in my possession, but with it you can change much more than you already did. You can create a better future. You already started._

 _Here is what you need to know…"_

* * *

 _Sorry for the delay everyone. 2017 didn't start so well for me after all. I had a bad panic attack that led me to a lot of anxiety then family trouble, then health trouble, then computer trouble, so **a lot** of anxiety... Give me a break, 2017, alright? _

_I'm finally starting to get better. Now I hope you enjoyed this chapter! As you can see things are changing! (_ _ _This wasn't betaed, by the way, it probably showed... **EDIT 12th march:** it has been betaed by the wonderful ____**Sage Thrasher** ) _Next chapter should come much faster (hopefully, if things continue to go back to normal), I've already started on it. _

_I was surprised to discover how many fav/followers this story gained in the meantime. More than 1k! Wow! Welcome everyone! Thanks for all the reviews, I read them all and appreciate your support a lot! I'd love to hear what you thought of this chapter._


	12. Rollercoaster

The cells weren't _bad_.

I mean… I imagined worse.

Of course, I probably wasn't in one of the worst, but still. The basic necessities were here. I hadn't slept at all since my imprisonment, but it was just as much due to anxiety as it was because of the thin mattress and blanket they called a bed.

I was tired, physically (no sleep in the last 36 hours would do that to you) and mentally (was it too much to ask for a break, really?). So tired that I just wanted to close my eyes and stop worrying about anything. Unfortunately: anxiety.

I was feeling jittery. After a lot of pacing, push-ups and other exercises, I had calmed down enough to be able to focus on some yoga, but it still wasn't enough to appease my fears. Here, without company and without information, I could go crazy by imagining hundred of scenarios.

What happened to Itachi. What Danzou would do. If the scroll had reached the Hokage like planned. How he reacted. If it changed anything...

It was fruitless. I needed to think about something else.

Sitting cross-legged on the bed, I tapped my legs distractedly until I found a rhythm and focused on it.

Memories of my first life were vague. While music had been an important part of it, I always had difficulties memorizing lyrics, and I couldn't remember more than snippets of the most memorable songs. As a child here, I used to amuse myself by slipping them in conversations with a sing song voice. Nowaday, I mostly did it in the privacy of my own mind. Despite the memory lapses, I remembered the rhythm of many melodies and liked to hum them to myself for comfort. This world simply didn't offer the range of variety in music I was used to, and it was an absence that I had to make up for in this small way.

I was humming a butchered version of the Ghostbusters soundtrack when the door opened to let in Morino Ibiki.

Him, again. Great.

I didn't bother to stop as he stared at me. As long as I didn't shout " _I'm afraid of no ghost!"_ like a banshee (I totally did that in the Academy's playground when I was eight, but it was for an anti-bully emergency, don't judge), I was pretty low on the weird scale.

"Up," he ordered.

I complied obediently but didn't stop my little tune. It truly calmed me.

Ibiki was staring, judging, assessing, as he always did.

It had been roughly 24 hours since I had been arrested. I spent more time in his _lovely_ company than I ever wished to.

I suppose I couldn't complain. His interrogation tactics had been quite mild. He had never raised a hand on me. He didn't need to, of course. He knew how to mess with a mind with just a few tricks and some sharp words. Despite the mind games, I had received water and food (or at least what they called a meal and was merely rations). In theory, I was allowed to sleep…

Clearly, I was still under the protection of the Hokage. I hoped it lasted.

I left the cell at Morino's prompting and followed one of his assistants through the long, bland and convoluted corridors planned to confuse any fugitive or intruder. I was led into an interrogation room like several others I had already visited today. I was expecting another one-on-one session with the charming giant breathing down my neck, but someone was already waiting inside.

I stared at Yamanaka Inoichi as the assistant tied me to a chair covered in seals. Morino stayed by the door and closed it behind his assistant.

Only then Inoichi spoke up: "Maiko-san, I'm aware you refused a mind reading to prove your innocence."

"Yes," I said firmly. A confirmation by a Yamanaka of my testimony could clear me of everything. It was as simple as that. I knew refusing made me look guilty but I just couldn't take the risk of letting anyone in my mind.

They couldn't force me to either: for a good mind reading, the subject had to be willing. Otherwise, it was risky (for both participants) and gave inferior results. The risk was only worth it for crucial information. That was why there were other interrogators than the Yamanaka family.

"While Itachi was willing to submit to the mind reading, his parents refused to give their permission."

"Good," I replied. "He's still a child. Stay away from his mind. It's messed up enough as it is," I grumbled. I was touched that he agreed for my sake. He meant well, and he deserved so many sweets for his abnegation. However, mind reading wasn't without risks, and his testimony probably wouldn't be enough anyway: he wasn't here when the ROOT agent had attacked Haruka. He couldn't truly prove that I was innocent. For all he knew, I had been left alone with two incapacitated opponents. No, it wasn't enough.

"This leave you with the only option to be prosecuted for murder."

I nodded, having arrived to that conclusion by myself. "I know."

He stared at me intently before taking a paper out of a file and sliding it in front of me. "Last chance."

I glanced at the paper, read the title " _Agreement to a mind reading procedure_ " and immediately opened my mouth to refuse as I frowned at Inoichi. The insistent look he gave me made me pause and take a second look. I leaned forward to better read the small lines. It looked a lot like the paper I had been shown this morning, except for a new paragraph: " _The Yamanaka interrogator agreeing to perform the procedure commits to keeping his inquiry to the strict necessary information needed. Failure to comply will be considered a S-level treason."_ At the bottom of the paper, there was already a signature: Inoichi's.

I glanced up to look him in the eye, seeking his confirmation.

My heart was beating faster. This… this felt like hope. It might be a leap, but I wanted to believe that this change was due to the success of my contingency plan (which terrified me as much as it pleased me).

He nodded slowly.

I leaned back in the chair and thought this through. This was my best chance. Inoichi could be trusted. I couldn't afford a trial. "Alright."

It took half an hour.

Inoichi coached me through a meditation exercise to open my mind and focus on the events of the previous evening.

He rested a hand on my forehead.

I barely felt anything.

Inoichi put his signature on my statement, confirming that all of it was true.

I was proven innocent.

Just like that.

Morino grunted at the declaration and stepped forward to free me from the seals.

Inoichi smiled at me, gathered the papers, said, "I'll inform the Hokage right away. Ibiki will discharged you," and left.

 _Just like that._

It felt surreal.

I rubbed my wrists distractedly and stood up slowly to follow Morino outside.

We went through two hallways before we were approached by a man in the grey uniform of the Interrogation Force. He flashed a few hand signs to Morino, too fast for me to understand, especially considering they looked different from the basics I knew. I watched warily their exchange.

"She has been cleared," Morino replied.

The hand signs given in reply were a blur but I recognized the most basic one: "kill." I took an involuntary step back and stared at them distrustfully.

I was only wearing the prisoners uniform (ugly and uncomfortable red overalls) and was weaponless. If they truly wanted to kill me, I was screwed.

The anonymous butcher stepped toward me. I moved back. Before he could reach past Morino and get to me, the giant striked. Morino Ibiki had a really mean hook as it turned out. He hit the newcomer under the jaw strongly enough to disorient him before knocking him out with a second blow to the back of the head.

I took two more steps back, wincing as the body fell to the ground heavily. I glanced at Morino and met his impassive eyes.

"What makes you so threatening, Kamizuki?" He asked thoughtfully.

I angled myself away from him warily and stayed silent.

"Is it what you know or what you are?"

"What we know is part of who we are," I said. "It drives us. It builds us."

"And leads us to our death."

I tilted my head in agreement. "Eventually. Possibly."

"Death doesn't scare you."

"Death is but the next great adventure." I remembered that quote vividly. I had time to mull over it during the first few boring months of my new life. Let me tell you: adventures were overrated. I'd have prefered to be reincarnated as an hobbit (and _not_ a Baggins).

I jumped when two ANBU suddenly appeared beside us by shunshin. I swore and leaned against the wall to calm my poor heart.

A new exchange of hand signs passed between them but, considering one of them was dealing with the guy on the ground, I was hopeful that there would be no attempt to kill me this time.

"You're to deliver Kamizuki Maiko to Nohara Rin in the lobby and then proceed with the operation," an ANBU said to Morino.

"Understood."

I approved of the idea to be left in Rin's care instead of Morino's and happily followed him through the maze.

As soon as we were in the lobby, Rin caught sight of me. "Maiko! Thank kami."

I gladly surrendered to her hug, except for stirring her away from the bruises I still had from yesterday's fight (my inner left elbow was purple and bending it was painful). By the time Rin released me, Morino had disappeared.

A chuunin appeared with my belongings and showed me to an empty room where I could change into my own clothes. They were torn in several places and stained with Haruka's blood. I had to look away from the red as I put them on.

"I'm sorry, Maiko. This is temporary. We'll go to your apartment right away so you can change," Rin promised.

I nodded silently as I hid my fans in my obi and carefully fastened a holster around my thigh. When I was ready, I turned toward Rin and admitted: "I'm glad you're here, truly, but... I wasn't expecting... you."

She smiled slightly. "I imagine, but your message had… a few consequences. Everyone is quite busy. Even me, actually. As soon as I made sure you're alright and safe I have to go back to the hospital."

"Why? What's going on, Rin? An ANBU agent mentioned an operation?" I felt like I had provoked a chain reaction which went far beyond what I had imagined.

The bland smile that Rin gave me as an answer definitely accentuated that impression. Then there was the fact that, as soon as we stepped out in the open air, I realized that something was different.

It was late — night had fallen — but not late enough to explain why the streets were empty and the roofs overtaken by streaks of white and green. I guessed without a doubt that a curfew was ongoing. From the speed of the shinobi I could see, I estimated them to be elite only. An high-level emergency, then. One triggered by the scroll I had written? I was leery of trying to guess what was happening.

Rin led me through the streets to my apartment. We stayed away from the few sounds of fighting we heard, but it didn't help me relax.

I took a quick shower and grabbed the simplest and comfiest clothes I had, a standard chuunin uniform. Rin helped me with the few injuries I still had and made me drink and eat a simple meal of rice and soup.

When I tried to question her, she shook her head. "Not here."

She led me back out and toward a calm area, not very far from the Hokage tower but on the outskirts of town. The Hokage mansion, residence of the current Hokage and his family. I couldn't see any guards, although I had no doubts there were many.

It wasn't the first time I came here. I had to bring some papers to the Yondaime occasionally, but it was rare. It was Haruka's responsibility.

Rin stepped inside like it was her own house and it might as well be: she _was_ family.

I trailed behind her. The mansion was left in darkness, the moonlight guiding us. The silence was complete.

Rin brought me to a part of the mansion I had never seen. She opened the door of what I guessed to be a guest room. "You can sleep here tonight. Minato-sensei will talk to you in the morning. I have to go to the hospital now, but before that…" She reached for my hands and squeezed them. "I want to thank you, for everything you did… or tried to do. Thank you."

I didn't know what to say in answer, but she didn't let me figure it out. She was gone in the blink of an eye, leaving me alone in an empty and foreign house. I stepped into the room, closed the door behind me, looked at the bare space lit by moonlight and sighed.

I wasn't going to get much sleep tonight either.

oOo

A few hours later, I had finally managed to doze when a cool draft and the feeling of being watched put me on alert. I discreetly reached for one of the fans left by the side of the futon as I shifted slowly and glanced over the blanket.

Someone was crouching by the open window, his white uniform identifying him as an ANBU. His silver hair was sticking up on the side, gleaming in the moonlight. His canine mask was dangling from his belt.

Giving up the idea of stealth, I grabbed my weapon because it made me feel better, and I raised on an elbow to look at my guest.

"I slept with you to keep an eye on you."

The blunt admission took a few seconds to register. I blinked at Kakashi like an owl. When I finally understood what this was about, I rubbed a hand over my face and pinched the bridge of my nose. I was too tired to deal with this. Unfortunately, I need to get used to it: I wasn't expecting the morning to be any better.

I sat with my back against the wall, letting my head roll against the wood as I stared at the emotionally stunted genius. "I figured it out."

His fingers shifted slightly, his only sign of surprise.

"If you think I'm going to make this easier for you, you're mistaken. I'm not in the mood. Not enough sleep. So use your words and don't even think of fleeing now that you woke me up."

I waited for a long time for those words to come. Sage knew that speaking wasn't Kakashi's speciality. My eyes were closing in fatigue when he finally asked:

"Where's Obito?"

There it was. What was truly bothering him so much that he tried to push and shove to hurt me, like the news he received had hurt. With all the anxious pondering I did after finishing my contingency plan, I can't say I hadn't seen this coming. I imagined so many different reactions, so many ways this could go…

I sighed and pushed my hair away from my face. "Kakashi…"

"Don't," he warned me, suddenly right by my side, kneeling on the futon, his hands clenching, so tense that he looked ready to spring. "You knew all along that he was alive. We could have find him, help him…"

"He's dead!" I shouted at his face. That's not what I had meant to say at all but if he was going to push, I wasn't going to take it quietly. "The Obito you knew is _dead_ ," I enunciated. "The man going around under the name of Tobi is a mind washed wreck who killed Uzumaki Kushina, would have killed the Yondaime and destroyed Konoha if he had gotten his way!" I hissed at his face. "Knowing the truth wouldn't have helped you, it certainly wouldn't have helped _him_. Get a grip! I did my best to make sure that Rin lived, that your sensei lived, I tried to help as much as I could, and now you're whining at me?! Trying to upset me by throwing at my face that you spied on me?!"

"You know all about spying, don't you?" He growled.

I shoved at his chest. He grabbed my wrist and pulled until we were so close I could feel his heavy breath through the mask.

"You want to be pissed at me? You want to break up? _Fine_. But I did not devoted my life to saving your ungrateful ass from a life of loneliness and depression to be your scapegoat. So help me Sage, Hatake, cut the fucking attitude or I'll burn all your damn books."

There was a second of silence as he stared at me. "You won't. You love books."

I groaned. "Shut up. I was trying to threaten you here!"

"Nice try. Scary, it's true, but not realistic."

"Really? We're having a fight here and you're criticizing my threats?"

"We should thrive to improve in everything."

"Sage. You sound like Itachi, that's just wrong. Alright. Fine! I'll steal all your books! Is that better?!"

"Yes."

"Can we go back on topic now?"

"Sure."

I waited expectantly but he stared at me lazily. I groaned and lightly pushed at his shoulder with my free hand.

"Maa. What's wrong? Didn't you want me to cut the attitude?" He asked tauntingly.

I huffed, blowing a strand of hair away from my forehead as I glared at him. "Sage protect me from emotionally stunted genius," I grumbled. "What are you playing at now?"

"Promise something to me."

"What?"

"That, from now on, you'll tell us everything. Not just what you think matters. _Everything_."

I tilted my head slowly without looking away from his steady eye. "That's more than you imagine and less than you could hope for."

"Everything."

"Fine," I sighed, "I promise you that any and all information in my possession will be transmitted to the Yondaime without delay or obfuscation. Satisfied?"

"I could kiss you," he deadpanned.

"Please don't. You're a mess."

"I know." He released me and was gone in the next breath, leaving the window open behind him.

Asshole.

oOo

In the morning, after I didn't sleep more than a few hours, a maid came to deliver a breakfast tray. Once I had eaten, she led me through the hallways. The Yondaime was waiting for me.

Outside, the weather was cloudy and foggy, the light dim. It fit my mood perfectly.

The maid knocked lightly against a paper door before bowing to me and leaving.

"Enter."

Slowly, I opened, stepped forward and closed the door, knowing that was the right thing to do although I wasn't really eager to have this conversation/confrontation. I stopped in the middle of room and bowed to the waist in _saikeirei_ for several seconds before straightening and meeting the Yondaime's eye.

He was illuminated on each side by a paper lantern, their warm light softening his face and highlighting his golden hair. Their shadows hid his eyes, though, and I couldn't read them, just like I couldn't decipher his stony-faced expression.

I didn't know what to say and let the silence settle between us, heavy with the truths I had hidden and those I had written.

For those few silent seconds, I was hyper-aware of the hair brushing the back of my neck, of my aching body and stinging eyes, of the cold of the foggy morning creeping in and of the flickering flames.

Then professionalism kicked in, past the anxiety and the fatigue, I noticed the scrolls piling up on the Hokage's desk, the nearly empty ink bottle and the used cups of tea.

I wanted to crumble under the weight of the uncertain future to come, the mysterious and threatening present, and the haunting past. I wanted to cry all those tears I had bottled inside, barely allowing the excess to flow in the privacy of my cell and bedroom. I wanted the world to calm down and make sense.

I should start with what I knew.

I stepped forward, eyes down. I removed my slippers and stepped on the dais keeping the traditional desk raised. I bowed more shallowly and murmured: "Allow me." Slowly, I removed the cups and items cluttering the desk, bringing them to a tea tray left on an adjacent table. While I was at it, I selected a full bottle of ink from a shelf and replaced the empty one with it. I arranged the scrolls and papers quietly under the silent stare of the Yondaime, until his workplace was as efficient as it could be. Then I bowed slightly once again. "At your command, Hokage-sama."

For a few long seconds, he stayed quiet and unmoving. With his elbows on the desk and his fingers crossed in front of his chin, he was staring at me. "There is a lot we need to talk about. Why. How. The past. The future… You have a _lot_ to explain. But we need to focus on the present. And on this subject, you should know that Shimura Danzou was found guilty of treason and subsequently executed."

I gawked at him, having temporarily forgotten how to breathe. "He's dead?!"

"By my own hand."

I imitated a fish out of water before I managed to say: "That's what was going on tonight… you were… uprooting ROOT?"

"I ordered their dismantlement years ago. Their continued existence, combined to the recent events and the informations obtained," he raised a sealed scroll, my contingency scroll, "convinced me to put an immediate end to this."

Stunned, I staggered. "I need to sit down." All the events of the last days and my lack of sleep were catching up with me. I sat down on the border of the platform and glanced at the Yondaime. "I don't mean to doubt you but… are you sure? like… did you double-check it's him? And, oh, please, tell me you're going to burn the body—"

"Maiko…"

"—Seriously, we really need to burn the bodies now, because zombies are a thing and it's a big mess—"

"Maiko!"

I shut up, breathed in, breathed out and whispered: "Sorry. I'm… sorry."

"He's dead. The arm with cells of the Shodaime has been destroyed. Rin is responsible of the post-mortem examination and of its disposal."

"Oh. Alright." I nodded slowly before saying the first thing that came to mind: "The Sandaime is going to be upset."

Minato sighed loudly. "Jiraiya-sensei went to speak with him, but I'm expecting to get an earful, yes."

An awkward silence fell between us again as Minato rubbed his forehead. He probably hadn't slept tonight at all.

"Yondaime-sama…" I licked my lips, looking for the words that eluded me. "I'm sorry… for… hiding the truth from you."

He rested his chin on the back of his hand and watched me thoughtfully. "Don't be. I can imagine the pressure of having so much information in your possession. You tried to do the best you could and for that I'm grateful. Konoha owes you. I owe you." Slowly, he stood up and walked to the window. Staring outside, he explained: "I had doubts about you, but not about your loyalty. You've seen the cursed seal on Haruka's tongue."

I shuddered slightly. "Yes."

"It disappears at the death of the subject and, it seems, at Danzou's death. This has been one of my worry for some time. I thought you might be sealed in this way… or a sleeping agent maybe, without your knowledge. Danzou had me fooled… and Haruka paid the price." His voice was full of regret.

I stood up and walked to his side. "You're not responsible, Yondaime-sama. Danzou was, and you stopped him."

Minato hummed. "Too late. I was moving too slow. Getting him to trust Ibiki and Iwashi wasn't easy and I shouldn't have put all my eggs in one basket…"

I gaped a little before recovering. "They… were acting on your orders?"

"Following Danzou's instructions on my order, yes." He glanced at me and smiled softly. "You made an impression on Ibiki… and Iwashi expressly asked me to intercede in his favor. Kindly put him and Raidou out of their misery, will you?"

Feeling my cheeks heat up from embarrassment, I bowed my head to hide. "Of course, Hokage-sama. I'm sorry if I disturbed your plans..."

He snorted. "You more than disturbed them, Maiko. You made them more or less useless. But if you're referring to Ibiki's face off with Itachi, never apologize for defending those who need it. You did well and gave a good excuse for Ibiki to back off without results." He waved his fingers and crossed his arms. "We weren't exactly ready to move against Danzou right away and in that, you certainly changed many things, but I can't say it wasn't for the best. When I read what he has done… what he had planned…" He clenched his jaws for a few seconds before explaining: "He was researching about the Sharingan. Haruka was looking for Kakashi's medical file in the archives the other night."

I inhaled, remembering how she was going through the locker for "HA" like "Hatake". "Because of his successful implantation?"

"Yes. And several months ago, when he attacked you and several clans' archives, they were all a diversion…"

"For reaching Haruka."

"But also for going through the medical archives at the hospital. Danzou was a cunning bastard and a devious strategist."

I thought it through for a few seconds. "He didn't find what he wanted at the hospital."

"No, and he wouldn't have found anything in the tower's archives either." Minato gave me a little lopsided smile. He didn't mention where the files were. I didn't ask.

I glanced outside. The private garden built around a lotus pond was beautiful and peaceful. I wished I could sit here and forget everything for an hour or two… or a few thousand.

"What is going to happen now?"

"Now, I dearly need an experienced and competent personal assistant," he replied pointedly.

I swallowed uncomfortably at the reminder that Haruka needed to be replaced but tilted my head respectfully. "I'm at your service Hokage-sama."

Minato squeezed my shoulder gently. "I regret how this came to be, Maiko, but I trust you. We'll make it through, one step at a time. Take the day to rest and regroup. I'll see you tomorrow morning, ready to put things back in order and face the questions of the Go-Ikenban."

While I wasn't eager to answer to the Council of Elders, I understood I was already lucky to be given a delay before it happened. It was inevitable. I had to deal with the consequences of my revelations.

It scared me. No, it terrified me.

A warm hand cupped my cheek. I looked up to meet Minato's eye.

He was staring at me with the soft kindness I loved so much. "Have faith."

I smiled tentatively. "Yes, Minato-sama." In him, I always will. I bowed and took my leave without looking back. He trusted me, he accepted me and the information I gave him. I had to give back just as much as I received.

I startled when the door closed behind me, and I noticed someone leaning against a wall a little further away. When the shinobi straightened, I recognized him and relaxed. "Genma," I breathed.

He smiled and opened his arms as I walked to him.

I stepped into the hug without hesitation, clinging to the back of his vest and hiding my face against his shoulder as I breathed in his familiar scent.

He held me without a word, stroked my hair and leaned his cheek on the top of my head.

I was shaking.

When it didn't passed, Genma kissed my forehead and said softly: "Come on, I'm taking you back to your apartment."

Konoha looked as normal as ever as we went through its streets. While curfews weren't regular, they weren't rare either and the population was used to them and the absence of information that followed. The city hadn't been damaged. The Hokage was alive and well. That was all that mattered for most inhabitants.

A few people, more informed than others, watched me as I passed by, but discretion was our trade and I was able to ignore them.

Genma stayed close but only touched me with a hand on the small of my back when we were crowded.

Once in my apartment, I went to drop on the couch and covered my eyes with a forearm while he went to the kitchen, probably to make tea from the noises that followed. Indeed, a few minutes later, he put down a tea tray on the coffee table and gently nudged me so that he could sit with my head on his lap. He gently brushed my hair away from my face and stroke my cheek tenderly.

I shifted, and he carefully adjusted his position to keep my weight away from his left thigh.

I frowned at him. "Are you hurt?"

"Nothing serious. Just a cut, but the medical staff was overworked last night. It'll heal the old way. You, though… You stepped into a big mess, didn't you, darling?"

Genma probably had heard everything about the confrontation with Haruka but didn't know about the top secret stuff brought by my contingency plan.

"You scared me."

I looked up and noticed for the first time that his senbon was nowhere to be seen. "Scared?"

He hummed, still playing with my hair. "Scared isn't the right word I suppose. It was more of a… ' _What do you mean Maiko is investigated for the murder of Haruka? Damn it, Maiko!'_ kind of feeling."

I snorted once before his droll tone of voice and expression made me burst into laughter, and I had to sit to keep breathing. I leaned into his side as he put an arm around my back. "Did you believe it?"

"That you cut Haruka's throat? _Please,_ " he scoffed. He poured a cup of tea and offered it to me. While I sipped it slowly, he watched me. "How do you feel? about her death?"

I swallowed and made a face. "I…" I shook my head when I choked up.

"Hey, it's alright. You can cry. Come here." He pulled me closer and held me as I let the tears flow.

"I-it's… the way she died… It was ugly, Genma. She choked in her blood and there was nothing I could do," I explained haltingly. "I see her, I _hear_ her, when I go to sleep… I just… I want to forget it, that sight..."

"I get it," he whispered, stroking my hair. He comforted me with encouraging and sympathetic words, promising that the worst visions would fade with time. He probably had seen so much worse that I couldn't doubt him.

The rhythmic petting was soothing, and I dozed in his embrace. When he stood up to make lunch, I curled up in the warmth he left behind, trying to hold on to that blissful state where I didn't care about anything else besides sleep. Unfortunately, sleep had always easily eluded me. I went to put on the table with a sigh.

Genma was no gourmet cook. We ended up eating instant soba noodles (which wasn't a hardship mind you, I didn't have much of an appetite). I was stabbing my chopsticks in the pot like a six years old when he said:

"Maiko… Listen… I know you're in a relationship with Kakashi—"

I grunted. "That's debatable actually. We might be over. I'm not sure... His communication skills are frankly lacking." I looked up and shook my head. "Sorry, you were saying?"

"This might not be the best time to say this… No, actually, it's _really not_ and I had planned to wait for the right time but then you got thrown in jail and I battled some ROOT members with nasty jutsus and was reminded that time is a luxury we don't really have so…" He was babbling, which was unprecedented.

I slurped a few noodles and raised an eyebrow at him. "I get your point. What did you want to talk about?"

"I'm in love with you."

I froze with my chopsticks in the air and stared at Genma for a few seconds, just to make sure he wasn't joking, but he was the most serious I had ever seen him. "Are you sure it's—"

"—love? Darling, I've asked myself that for a few months. Let me tell you, if the roller coaster my heart went through when I thought you were in trouble isn't love, I'm pretty sure I'm not cut out for the crazy ride everyone is talking about."

I put down my chopsticks across my bowl and tugged on a strand of hair.

"I told myself I would wait six months before saying anything," he explained. "It has been only five, but it's idiotic anyway. Some friends even suggested… never mind what they suggested, it's even more stupid." He waved his hand, his food forgotten. "Just.. I'm sure. I'm serious. This isn't the best time and I'm sorry for that, but I'd like you to consider a relationship between us, to give it an honest try." He looked me in the eye. "Would you? Consider it?"

"I… Y-yeah."

"Good. Take your time to think about it, alright?"

I nodded slowly.

He smiled, reached for my hand and squeezed it gently. "I'll be here for you, no matter what."

 **oOo OMAKE oOo**

The debriefing following the upROOTing of the previous night had been short and to the point. They were lucky that such an ambitious and sudden operation didn't end with more casualties for the forces loyal to the Hokage.

What they would do with the ROOT operatives who surrendered after Danzou's death was still to be decided, but, all in all, the mission had been a success.

Genma caught Kakashi by the elbow before he could flee and dragged him away from everyone else. "What did you say to Maiko?"

Kakashi barely glanced at him. "None of your business."

"Look… I told her… about my feelings. She said you might not be together anymore, that you weren't clear about it."

Kakashi grunted. "You told her _now_? And I'm supposed to be the socially inept one."

"Don't worry, you still are. And not good enough at deflection to fool me. I don't know what's your problem with Maiko, but you should talk to her. Get things straight."

"An excellent suggestion, Genma," Minato said as he appeared by their side. "May I borrow my student?"

Genma straightened and bowed his head. "Of course, Hokage-sama."

Minato led Kakashi to his office in silence. Unfortunately, silence had never been a good way to get the youngest man to talk, and his sensei had to initiate the conversation: "I overheard part of your conversation with Maiko last night."

Kakashi stayed quiet, looking at the city through the window.

"I understand how upsetting the news are, Kakashi, but lashing out at her won't make it any easier."

"I know."

Minato waited for him patiently, knowing that pressing wouldn't help.

Kakashi pulled up his hitai-ate and rubbed his eyes. "Do you think she's right? That… Obito is dead?"

Minato came to stand by his student's side and rested a hand on his shoulder. "I think that the man I fought the day of Naruto's birth wasn't my student."

Kakashi kept his eyes shut as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "She saved Rin and you…"

"She did."

"I don't want to imagine a world where you aren't here."

"And yet, it's the world she knows… Whatever feelings we have about the way Maiko handled things, I think we can give her a break about the details. I plan to."

"She knows too much," Kakashi blurted out after a minute.

Minato chuckled. "You mean she knows _you_ too well. Your tricks to keep her at arm's length don't work with her and you don't know how to deal with that."

Kakashi glared at him silently.

Minato smiled and squeezed his shoulder. "I don't think it's a bad thing. She can be trusted."

"Maybe…"

* * *

 _Thanks to **Sage Thrasher** for her precious help as a beta!_

 _This chapter had to be rewritten several times, there were so many things to talk about (the discussion with Minato was especially difficult)... I hope you enjoyed it! =D Let me know what you thought of it since so many of you were eager to know how it went. And, just to be clear: this will be Genma/Maiko/Kakashi. No-one will be neglected._

 _Also thank you to those who commiserate about what a pain anxiety/2017 is. I'm doing a little better now. 3_


	13. Lucky, unlucky

_**Triggers warning :** brief and light description of forced experimentation on humans / physical abuse in a family setting_

* * *

"Are you sure?"

"No."

I watched the sunrise from the window of my mother's room, pretending to ignore the presence of ANBU in the nearest tree.

"This will change the way they see you," Midori warned me while brushing her hair.

"Because telling them I know part of the past and future didn't already?" I sighed and shook my head. "I'm tired of secrets. Yondaime-sama chose to trust me—"

"He has you constantly followed."

"He could have done much worse and we both know it," I retorted while turning my back to the outside. "Kakashi, though… I'm not sure what he really thinks but he already asked me to tell them _everything_ and it's not like… I don't want to go through another revelation like this in a few months or years, making their opinion of me change again after I finally regained their trust."

"So you want to get everything off your chest."

"Yes. Will you help? Please."

"If that's your wish… It's your decision to make."

"It's your story as much as mine, mum," I pointed out gently.

"I'm not going to pretend that relating this story to the Council fills me with joy, sweetheart, but for you I would do anything. You know that, don't you?"

I smiled softly before going for a hug.

As she petted my hair, Midori whispered: "I would have gone to see the Yondaime myself if your plan hadn't work out."

"I don't want you in trouble because of me, okaa-san."

"Honey, trouble is the spice of life."

I groaned and mumbled under my breath: "Ninjas are crazy."

Used to our little philosophical disagreements, Midori laughed joyously and finished preparing herself. I helped absent-mindedly, but only when she truly needed it, or I'd have been hit in reproach.

I glanced outside at the ANBU operative who didn't bother to hide himself from me — it was considered a sign of respect, somehow, a way to say, "Yes, you're under watch, but at least we're honest about it." I hadn't managed to catch sight of his hair and wondered if I knew him.

Somehow, after going to sleep early in the evening yesterday, I'd slept six hours, but I had woken up with a start and been unable to calm down. No matter how old I was and how many lives I went through, a maternal figure was still the best remedy to my anxiety, especially considering the unwavering support Midori gave me.

I came to the Senju Nursing Home before its open hours, but mum had woken up as soon as I stopped before her window. Once an awesome kunoichi, always an awesome kunoichi.

"Let's go rock the world of a few people," she announced cheerfully.

"Mom, this isn't supposed to be fun."

"Not yet, but wait a little and watch carefully the faces they'll make, you'll see. You might not remember, but when you told us the truth, your father's reaction was just priceless, honey. I can't wait to see something similar again."

Oh, I remember that day…

… _I was four._

 _There was a family dinner at home: my parents, my uncle and my maternal grandmother. Everyone that mattered was here. Somehow, I decided that was the ideal moment to blurted out the truth, between dessert and tea:_

" _I'm not from this world."_

 _They glanced at me distractedly — I'd spoken in a lull after a debate about what kind of taijutsu was best in which situation (seriously, shinobi were weird…)._

" _Oh, aren't you, sweetheart?" Dad said, clearly humoring me._

 _I huffed, stood up from seiza position and leaned forward with my hands on the table. They had to take me seriously!_ "Papa, je suis sérieuse, je ne suis pas de ce monde ! Et votre monde est bizarre et cette espèce d'énergie que je sens à l'intérieur est bizarre, et je n'aime pas ça, d'accord ?!"

 _Now they stared at me wide-eyed._

" _What… what did you just say?" Mom asked, looking a little pale._

" _I said…" I breathed in before translating. "Dad, I'm serious, I'm not from this world. And your world is weird, and this strange energy I feel inside me is weird, and I don't like it, alright?!"_

 _Apparently, not alright._

 _They were all staring at me, unmoving and silent._

 _Until Dad, sitting on my left, started and grabbed me for a hug. "Oh, Sage! My daughter is already speaking two languages at four years old! Isn't she brilliant?!"_

" _Wha—"_

 _Uncle Daiki, on my father's left, burst into laughter. I gawked at them from my position, squished against dad's chest. They really were the crazy ones!_

" _That's what you're focusing on?" my mom drawled, somehow recovering from the dizzy spell I was convinced she was experiencing a minute before. "Really, Daichi?"_

 _Dad adjusted me in his hold, holding me with an arm around my waist, legs on each side of him and my head against his heart. "You know what I think of all this, Midori-chan. She's our daughter, no matter what." He stared at me as he said so, smiling and eyes full of sincerity._

 _I'm not proud of this, but I'll admit I burst into tears at his level of acceptance._

 _For months — years even — I had been worried of their reaction. It had been for nothing._

 _I was so lucky to have such a great family._

oOo

Heads turned and eyes discreetly followed me as I pushed Midori's wheelchair inside the Hokage's tower. They were too well trained to whisper when I could see or hear them, but I didn't doubt that the rumor mill would be very active today.

Stepping into my office felt perfectly natural until I caught sight of what used to be Haruka's desk and should now be mine; then, I had to take a few seconds to breathe deeply. Midori squeezed my hand. I went to work.

Half an hour later, I was finally starting to get the backlog of paperwork organized. Chatting with my mom while I did mindless work helped to calm my nerves and stop dreading what was waiting for me.

"Maiko!"

We looked up to see Izumo and Kotetsu ran into the room, looking short of breath. Izumo braked suddenly when he caught sight of Midori, causing his best friend to knock into him.

"Oba-san!"

"Well, look at that. If it isn't my long lost nephew… I thought I wouldn't see you ever again, my boy!"

I could see Izumo sweat-drop at my mother's melodrama just before he fell into a deep bow. "I'm so sorry for not visiting lately, Midori-oba-san! I've been very busy since I became chunin."

"So you say. It's okay, I understand that a big boy like you would rather spend time with his boyfriend or girlfriend rather than with his old auntie…"

"Oba-san! That's not it and you know it," Izumo whined while Kotetsu snicker behind his back.

"Uhuh. So I suppose you barged in here to see _me_?"

"Uh," Izumo glanced at me, "I was worried about Maiko-chan, actually. There are rumors…" He stared at the desk of Haruka I was working on.

I wiggled my fingers and opened my arms. He immediately came for a hug.

"Is it true? Haruka-san has been killed by a traitor and you were under investigation?"

"It's true," I admitted with a sigh, "but it's over now. I've been cleared. Don't worry."

"Is it true that you were tortured by T&I?!" Kotetsu asked with morbid curiosity.

I rolled my eyes at him. "No."

They looked ready to unleash a new wave of questions on me when an ANBU suddenly popped up and announced: "The Council is waiting for you in the meeting room, Kamizuki-san." He disappeared just like he came.

Izumo stared at me, wide-eyed. "I thought it was over?"

I shrugged. "Well, there might be a few details left to discuss. Nothing to worry about." I craned my neck to peck him on the cheek. "See you later!"

"Maiko-nee-san, you'll give me white hair!" Izumo stated, exasperated.

I chuckled and followed Midori as she rolled away. Once we were hidden from any prying eyes, she silently offered me a hand. I squeezed it tightly and focused on breathing.

The Go-Ikenban, the Council of Elders, had been reorganized a few years ago, after the infamous 10th of October. With the death of his wife and the messy birth of his son, the Yondaime had been in a really hard place mentally. His patience had been at an all-time low, and the comments of the previous Elders had been badly received. I still remembered the day they had been fired. I wasn't anywhere near the meeting and I was glad for it: the burst of killing intent he had released had been the subject of many scared and impressed whispers.

Despite their outrage, the Elders hadn't received much sympathy, especially after the name of their successors had been announced: it was perfectly natural for the Sandaime, the Yondaime's sensei, and Senju Mito's pupil (who also happened to be Uzumaki Kushina's sensei) to be chosen. They were well-liked and respected.

Danzou had tried to undermine them via the Council of Clan Heads, in vain.

Senju Momoko and Sarutobi Hiruzen were sitting on Minato's left. Jiraiya and the Jounin Commander were on his right.

Facing them as I stood in the middle of the room didn't help my nerves. I crossed my hands behind my back and straightened.

"Kamizuki Midori, the Go-ikenban hasn't summoned you."

"I asked for her presence, Sandaime-sama," I explained, stepping forward and bowing deeply. "She has knowledge regarding the subjects you wish to discuss and knows most of what we'll talk about."

"Very well…"

As the doors closed behind us, I noticed an ANBU taking position behind the Yondaime's chair, on his right. His hair was uncovered, silver strands sticking up and to the side. Kakashi clearly wanted me to notice him. A reminder of my promise, I suppose.

"Let's skip the small talk. We all know why we are here," Jiraiya said, interrupting the Sandaime as he got ready to speak up. The Toad Sage waved a hand and leaned forward, staring at me. "You're in possession of information both confirmed and classified, as well as unverified and sensitive. While this knowledge should be discussed at some point, before anything, we should address the how—"

"And that's where I come in," Midori stepped in, straightening in her rolling chair, by my side. "I bet you already have your opinion, and the consensus would have you salivating at the prospect, I'm sure. Well, let me douse your enthusiasm: no, it's not a new kekkei genkai."

They shifted in their seat, a clear sign (for shinobi) that it was indeed the explanation they had expected.

"Isn't it?" The Yondaime said, speaking for the first time since we came in. "We're listening, Kamizuki-san."

"It's a story which starts well before Maiko's birth. Sandaime-sama might remember that my father used to be a member of the Research and Development Department. He assisted the Nidaime with several projects, including the technique _Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation._ For those who might not have heard of it, since it was declared a kinjutsu soon after its successful creation, it binds the soul of a deceased person to a living vessel, restoring them as they were when they were alive in order to do the summoner's bidding."

"Alright, I don't like the direction this is taking," Jiraiya mumbled as he leaned back in his chair.

"As years passed and those he loved died on the battlefield, my father… changed and became somewhat obsessed by the subjects of life, death, and reincarnation. It made me uncomfortable, but I wasn't aware of how far his obsession went. Despite the ban on this jutsu, he had been secretly working on a variant for years, his ultimate goal being a perfect reincarnation. His theory was that a soul needed to _connect_ with a body — a living body, not a corpse — for the reincarnation to be long-lasting, but of course a living body is already inhabited by a soul. " Midori paused, inhaled and licked her lips.

It was proof of her strength and training that she was able to talk so clearly about such a difficult topic for her. My mom was awesome. Maybe if I was completely and exclusively her daughter, I would be less of a mess and more of a badass kunoichi, like her, like this world craved.

"When I became pregnant, he realized that a baby, at their earliest development, is effectively soulless."

A wave of unease went through the audience as they understood where this was going.

"Unbeknownst to me, at several points during my pregnancy, my father took advantage of my naps to experiment on me. This led to a deterioration of my health and I went into early labor at eight months. My husband was on a mission at the time. My father and stepmother were with me. My stepmother was a medic-nin. She insisted we went to the hospital immediately, considering my poor health and the risks for me and the baby. My father disagreed and ultimately attacked my stepmother to get his way. That's when… I realized something was horribly wrong. He was raving about… the reincarnation of my mother, dead for more than ten years by then…"

She stopped and lowered her head to hide her tense jaws and teary eyes. I squeezed her shoulder gently in support.

"I don't know what would have happened if he had gotten his way… but my stepmother woke up, stopped his ritual, killing him in the process, and saved my life and my baby." Her voice cracked on those last words and she stopped abruptly.

I couldn't ask her for more. I took over, stepping forward to draw their attention on me. "What we are trying to say here, is that my birth wasn't exactly normal and I suppose… I am not either."

"So we gathered," Senju Momoko said as she leaned forward, "but are you suggesting that you are… a reincarnation?"

"I am. This is my second life," I admitted. "I am not, however, who my grandfather intended. I am not anyone from this world."

Jiraiya suddenly burst into laughter. "That's a good one! That's a really good storyline! Awesome! Do you mind if I use this for my next book? We can discuss credit and everything but oh, this is good…"

The rest of the Council didn't share his amusement, nor did I. Midori and I didn't share this story just to be laughed at.

" _Bonjour. Mon nom est Harmonie, aussi connue comme Maiko. Autrefois, j'étais professeur des écoles en France, bien que je ne me rappelle pas exactement où. J'aimais les jeux vidéos, la musique pop-rock et les pains au chocolat."_

Jiraiya had stopped laughing and was staring at me intently, like everyone else here. Even Midori. She rarely heard me talk more than a few words in French (mostly curses). To be honest, I lost most of my proficiency in what used to be my native language. A lot of vocabulary escaped me. I would probably be unable to spell most of it correctly. Nevertheless, I still could speak it fluently, even if it sat wrong on my tongue. I was fluent enough that it sounded right to them, like a language on its own, and not gibberish I invented.

"Should I translate?" I offered.

"Please," Minato replied calmly.

"Hello. My name is Harmonie, also known as Maiko. I used to be a primary school teacher in France, even if I don't remember exactly where in the country. I liked video games, pop-rock music and… well… the last words don't translate. tThe lack of pastries in this world is one of its many flaws."

"Video games?" Momoko repeated quietly.

"Pop-rock?" Jiraiya mumbled.

"France?" Shikaku asked.

"France was one of the hundred countries in my world," I explained. "Look, I know how crazy this sounds, I _lived_ it. So, before you decide this is an elaborate joke, do me the favor of thinking how I felt being thrown into your world — a violent, crazy and feudal world so different from my own — before judging me. And if you can't, at least let me tell the rest of the story before you plagiarize it."

"We are listening," Minato said.

"Your world used to be a story, for me. A story that I read when I was young and that was called 'Naruto', from its hero, a young orphan ninja shunned by its village because he was the container of a powerful and dangerous beast, the Kyuubi. I read this story, from the age he was twelve years old and sent into a genin team, to the time where he saved your world from crazy people, including a snake pedophile, an organization of twelve S-ranks maniacs in capes, a one-eyed big-headed geezer and so on and so forth. It's a story and you were its characters." I stared at them each.

Most of them looked carefully blank and emotionless, like good shinobi, but I noticed that Minato didn't appreciate my description of the manga's storyline.

"You were only supposed to be two dimensional... and chakra didn't exist, nor did super-powerful jutsus, or tailed beasts, or child soldiers… or any of this crazy world." I pinched the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes as I breathed in deeply to calm down. "I don't know by which mystery of physics or magic I ended up being reborn here, or why me, but somehow, one day, I felt chakra, saw people walking up walls like it was easy as breathing and it became a reality. But still, you were only characters from a story. You weren't real. You weren't supposed to matter. Never mind that I saw the Sandaime walk in the same town as me once in awhile…"

I used to refuse to address the fact I was living in a story. For my first years, I simply refused to deal with everything that implied. It couldn't last long, of course...

… _I was seven when it struck me._

 _I wasn't a popular kid at the Academy — unless someone needed an explanation on a lesson, that is. I spent most of my time alone, although I had a few friendly acquaintances._

 _During the lunch break one day, I was distracted from the book I was reading by girls chattering excitedly nearby. They were pointing at something on the roof._

 _I followed their line of sight and finally noticed the two figures standing above us (and ignoring us). They looked like a sensei and his student from their height and clothes. I needed a few more seconds to identify them from their hair, respectively blond and grey. When I finally did, I stared, wide-eyed, at the famous_ characters _from the manga._

 _It looked like Minato was scolding Kakashi, but the genin had his arms crossed and was looking away. He looked down at the noise coming from the schoolyard. Our eyes met, for a second, before he looked away with a disdainful sneer._

 _A minute later, they disappeared._

 _This was short and banal, but the realization struck me: yes, those characters were real. They were people. They were children. Naruto, a kid, would go through all the horrors I read about. That would happen. Whether I chose to do something about it or not, I couldn't ignore this reality and all its consequences, on me, on my new family and on everyone. I could bury my head in the sand all I wanted, but a eight years old genius had just snubbed me, and I knew more about him than he knew about himself._

 _That happened._

 _This was real. Too real._

 _I had a panic attack a few minutes later. I ran to a teacher who stared at me like I was an alien. I might as well be._

" _Don't stare at me like that!" I shouted at him as I was shaking with anxiety. I wanted to ask him where he learned to take care of children, but the truth would be sad: nowhere. They didn't take care of children, they raised soldiers. I burst into tears._

 _A kunoichi stopped by and glared at her colleague. "What did you say to her?"_

" _Nothing!" the guy protested. "Girls cry for no reason all the time, that's just what they do!"_

 _I went to the kunoichi and raised my arms, asking for a hug, just like I did a minute before to the shinobi. She sighed, crouched and gave me exactly what I asked for. "It's alright, kiddo. Cry all you want now. Soon, you'll learn that men aren't worth your tears."_

 _I was crying for myself._

 _God, how unlucky I was to have ended up in this world!_

 _It sucked._

 _It needed to be changed._

"So, you are telling us that you know vital information thanks to what you read in a book?" Jiraiya asked.

"Yes, and I know how crazy it sounds," I sighed. "What I shared with you and what information I have come from a story I read, and that world sucked so much that I decided to change it. What those changes would bring, the future it will create, I don't know…"

"But you believe it will be better than what you read?" Minato asked.

"I know it is, at least on the short term."

"How short?"

"… Ten or so years?"

Minato hummed and glanced at the members of the Council. "I believe we have much to discuss. Please, step outside. We'll call you back soon."

I bowed from the waist and Midori bowed her head before we complied.

In the anteroom, I realized for the first time that Raidou and Iwashi were the ones guarding the door. I glanced at them briefly before focusing on Midori. She still looked pale.

I crouched to be at her eye-level and squeezed her hands gently. "Okaa-san? Are you alright?"

She sighed and smiled weakly as she patted my hand. "I will be. Bad memories. You know how it is."

I knew that her father's betrayal was one of her worst experiences. My birth had definitely been the worst day of her life… She told me time and time again that she didn't regret _me,_ but I was smart and mature enough to make the distinction.

"Yes. Thank you so much for coming. I don't know if I could have done it without you."

"You underestimate yourself far too much, Mai-chan. You came this far. You're strong. I don't doubt that. I never doubted that."

We hugged for a few seconds before I stepped back. "If you need to leave, go. I can go through the rest on my own."

She squinted at me. "Are you sure?"

I smirked at her. "You just said I was strong, didn't you?"

She chuckled. "True. Alright then, I'll take you on that offer. Come tell me how it went as soon as you can."

"Promise."

She nodded slowly before holding my face between her hands and touching our foreheads. "You're the best daughter I could have hoped for. Don't you forget that, _ever_ , got it?"

Conscious of our audience, I fought the tears threatening to flow and nodded. "And you're the best mother in this whole world," I murmured in answer. It was an old custom for us, those words of reassurance, but they were always true. It would have been so easy for us to resent the other for what we lost and what we could have had. It never happened.

I was lucky.

I watched her leave as I quickly dried the corners of my eyes (although I don't know why I bothered about being subtle: any shinobi worth their salt would notice, so the two behind me in particular obviously would).

I ignored the chairs leaned against the wall nearby and walked back toward the door. "Hi, guys," I said to Raidou and Iwashi. "I want to apologize for giving you the cold shoulder lately. The Hokage told me you were following his… directives. Peace?"

Iwashi's shoulders visibly relaxed and Raidou finally glanced at me.

"Does that mean we'll get coffee again?" Iwashi asked hopefully.

I tilted my head. "If that was your only problem, I think I spoiled you."

"No, no, no! Of course not! Maiko-san, we're grateful you took pity on us," Iwashi replied eagerly.

Raidou snorted but nodded. "It's good to have things go back on track."

Iwashi glanced at his friend and smirked at me. "We heard that Genma finally confessed?"

Raidou huffed. "Worst timing ever."

I smiled slightly and tried to divert the conversation. "If you're trying to talk about my romantic life, I hope you realize this goes both way."

Unbothered, Raidou replied without batting an eyelash: "Rin and I are great, thanks."

"Uh…" Iwashi said hesitantly.

"Still not sure about having a baby, right?" I asked him.

He winced. "A baby is defenseless and fragile! Anything could go wrong! Anything!"

"I know."

He blinked at me in surprise, as if he was expecting some rebuttal. "You get it?"

"Of course I do. It's not an easy decision. It will change your life."

"Exactly! And what if I'm a terrible father? I barely remember mine. My older brother was an asshole. I've got no reference!"

"Of course you do," I reassured him gently.

"I do?"

"Sure. Yondaime-sama is a great father. If he had more time, he would be the best."

Iwashi blinked and visibly thought it through. "That's true… and he doesn't remember his father either."

"Yes, and if you're worried you'll be a bad father, it's a sign that you'll be a good one."

"How so?"

"Those who worry they aren't good enough have the drive to learn to be better. Being a good father can be learned, just like being a good shinobi."

"You think? That… makes sense." He stared into space for a few seconds before smiling at me. "Thanks Maiko-san. You've given me food for thought."

"Anytime Iwashi-san." I smiled and turned around to go sit down. Raidou caught my eye as I went and raised an eyebrow at me in a silent "I know what you did there", but he allowed me to leave without answering their inquiry regarding Genma.

Genma…

I didn't know what to think about him.

I sat, closed my eyes, and leaned back against the wall.

I liked Genma, _a lot_. I could imagine a relationship, a life, with him. There was one major problem: he wasn't part of the people who were in the know regarding every secret I carried. Could I be with him while keeping him in the dark? I felt like, somehow, someday, he would learn about it anyway, and I didn't want our relationship to change because of it… No, if we truly entered a serious relationship, I couldn't bear keeping the truth from him. I was so bad at keeping secrets from those I loved…

I sighed and crossed my legs, waving a foot around.

And what of Kakashi? I wondered how he took everything I said today. Would he see me differently? Would he ever trust me again? I liked him. I changed things for him. I would be extremely disappointed to lose him.

But to lose Genma in the same way? I didn't know if I could bear it.

I sighed.

I didn't remember my first life ever being so complicated.

oOo

I lost track of time while I waited. It was definitely time for lunch when Kakashi appeared before me in full ANBU regalia and stated: "The Council will see you now."

I stood up, expecting him to disappear right away, but he stayed unmoving in front of me. We ended up standing so close I could clearly see his eyes — both of them — through the mask's holes. He was staring at me intently, as if he was waiting for something, expecting something.

The only thing I could think of to say was: "I keep my promises."

Somehow, it seemed to satisfy him. He went to open the door, closing it behind me as I stopped in the middle of the room.

"Where is Midori?" Jiraiya asked.

"She wasn't feeling well. She went back to the Senju Nursing Home. If you wish to speak to her, you'll be able to find her there. If you have specific questions, I can answer most of them."

"Very well. I'll speak to her later," Jiraiya agreed, leaning back in his chair and glancing at his student.

"The Go-ikenban chose to believe you, Maiko-san. However, we have several questions," the Yondaime explained.

I bowed my head. "I'll answer to the best of my abilities."

"Do you have records of your grandfather's experiments?"

"My mother did. She kept them hidden, and I never asked to see them. She'll be happy to get rid of it if you ask for them."

Jiraiya waved his hand, indicating he would handle it.

"Are there any other side effects of these experiments?"

"Not on me."

Minato frowned. "Explain."

"My maternal grandmother speculated that the degenerative disease affecting my mother is a consequence of her difficult childbirth and possibly the experiments done on her previously. Her spinal cord was affected. I don't know more than that. Any investigation done by my grandmother will be with the experiment's records."

"Why wasn't any of this reported to me?" the Sandaime asked with a hint of anger.

"With all due respect, Sandaime-sama, in my experience, your culture promotes the idea that any family trouble is private. My family might not have been a clan, but it nonetheless followed the same old principles," I replied calmly. "Furthermore, while my mother might have been shocked by her father's actions, she was extremely protective of me regardless and refused to see me experimented on any further. She never mentioned it to me before I told her of my own volition that I wasn't of this world."

"And what did you say to that?" Jiraiya asked curiously.

I tilted my head toward him and tried to remember. "I think it was something like… 'Ojii-san is the worst asshole ever and your world sucks.'"

Jiraiya snickered.

I shrugged. "I was four, my grasp of your language was still basic."

"But colorful," he pointed out. "The mind of an adult in the body of a child. An interesting concept..."

"Let's stay on topic," Minato interrupted his sensei. "On the subject of this story you read, Maiko-san..."

"Yes, Yondaime-sama."

"How did it end?"

"I can't say, Yondaime-sama. I never read the end. The story was extremely long, dozens of books published during many years. However, I have been told it ended well… for the main characters at least."

"Why did you stop reading it?" Jiraiya asked curiously.

"I was tired of seeing my favorite characters die."

"Didn't you just say…"

"I'm referring to secondary characters… like _you_ … Don't worry, it was a very heroic death."

Jiraiya straightened, puffed up his chest and grinned. "I was one of your favorites?"

I cleared my throat. "That's not what I mean…"

"Haha! Too late! No take back!"

"Jiraiya-sensei, please," Minato sighed, "let's focus. Chronologically speaking, Maiko-san, until when did you read?"

I closed my eyes and tried to remember. "Mh… Naruto was… fifteen? Sixteen maybe?"

He nodded his understanding, staying mostly unexpressive. "Very well. I believe this covered the most important questions," he said, glancing at the councilmen and waiting for them to approve before continuing. "Maiko-san, anything discussed today is classified as S-rank information. _You_ will now be considered an S-level asset and as such required to follow the corresponding procedures. Do you understand?"

I nodded.

S-level assets were rare. The jinchuuriki was one. It felt strange to be compared to that. Among the restrictions that a S-level asset had to follow, the most important one was to ask for the Hokage's permission to leave Konoha. Considering that I never left Konoha for anything other than a mission, I wasn't too worried about it. Ultimately, it wouldn't change much.

"We'll have many more questions to ask you later," Minato said. "In the meantime, our priority is to come back to a regular activity. You'll take the first assistant position. I would appreciate if you could think about someone to replace you as second assistant, someone whose discretion and competency you trust."

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

"Dismissed."

 **oOo OMAKE oOo**

From his perch on the window, Kakashi watched his sensei kissed Naruto's forehead as he slept. Minato tenderly brushed the kid's hair away from his face before leaving the bedroom.

Kakashi followed silently to the garden, where they stared at the cliff bathed in moonlight, the Hokage's faces overlooking the house and all Konoha. Or Minato stared at them while Kakashi stared at him. Since the council this morning, the Yondaime had been quiet and distracted.

"Naruto is fine, sensei," Kakashi finally said. "You're here. He isn't an orphan, and he isn't shunned by the village."

"Yes… He is well and protected, isn't he? Thanks to Maiko."

"You really believe everything she said?"

"Don't you?" Minato shifted to glance at his student, smiling softly.

"It sounds crazy."

"I suppose it does." Minato crossed his arms, his white and red cloak dancing around his legs. "Did you know…? I thought the same thing when I received that scroll telling me that the village would be attacked the day of my son's birth. And yet, I planned in consequence, and if I hadn't… I wouldn't be here to talk to you today." Minato squeezed Kakashi's shoulder and looked him in the eye. "In my experience, crazy is quite relative, Kakashi."

"So you believe it? That another world exists, where our lives are part of a story?"

"Why not?" Minato asked him honestly, tilting his head, as if he was waiting for his brilliant student to give him a good explanation on why it wasn't possible.

Of course Kakashi couldn't — metaphysics weren't his speciality — but still he wondered: "And of all the souls that could have been reincarnated… it was her? Someone who'd read that story?"

Minato hummed and smiled softly. "Fascinating, isn't he? I wouldn't be surprised if some kami had interfered in this. They have a tendency to play their own games when mortals try to outsmart them."

"Why her?" Kakashi insisted.

"Didn't I tell you, Kakashi? To not underestimate her?"

The jounin frowned and shifted his weight from one foot to another. "Is this about emotions again?"

"I always thought she had a very particular mindset. The idea that she comes from another world explains it actually."

"It does?"

"Of course. Another world, another culture, another education, other priorities… I can see traces of all of this in her. It's quite interesting… We've a lot to learn from her."

Kakashi stayed quiet.

Minato gently tapped the back of his head. "Don't be like that Kakashi. You're being stubborn again. Be more open-minded."

Kakashi rubbed the back of his head, hiding a pout behind his mask, and grumbled: "I am."

"Are you? Good then, you'll be able to learn more about her previous world for me. And while you are it, don't forget to get things straight with her!" Minato cheerfully ordered.

"Sensei," Kakashi whined despondently.

"Go on then!"

* * *

 _Thanks to **S** **age Thrasher** for her precious help as a beta once again! She's the best.  
_

 _This was a complicate chapter to write with so much plot to explain. I hope it was worth the wait! I also had some computer troubles that increased my anxiety but hopefully this is over and done with since I had to buy a brand new laptop..._

 _Most revelations are over now. What did you think of it? Now we're heading into the second half of the fic, which will see more OT3 romance, as promised. Also, I want to ask you who you think should be the new Hokage's assistant? I have some ideas but I'm curious to read your opinions (it can be a character we haven't seen yet in this fic)._


	14. Small steps

Haruka's funeral was a small affair.

The circumstances of her death being what they were, the date and time of her burial had been shared only with her close family and friends. They had been told that Haruka had died in the line of duty, nothing more. There were rumors, of course, like there were rumors for everything, but they knew to be content with what they were told. Considering some rumors accused Haruka of treason, her family was satisfied by the bland explanation since at least it didn't bring dishonor to them. While honor was a samurai's concept, for shinobi it might as well be synonymous with loyalty to the village.

The Hokage and I arrived at the last moment, stayed in the back, and departed as soon as was polite after a few words of condolences to Haruka's parents.

I couldn't start to guess Minato's feelings; mine were muddled in a way I was not accustomed to. I rather prided myself for my self-awareness, but I couldn't put in words my feelings at this moment apart from a clinging sensation of coldness. I tightened my black haori around me.

It was raining, a small drizzle which only purpose was clearly to bother us. Spring had been rather pleasant until now, but the weather had taken a turn for the worst these last days. It didn't help settle my mood.

Holding an umbrella above us, I stopped by the Hokage's side at the gates of the cemetery. With an unreadable expression, Minato had turned to glance over his shoulder at the rows of graves. I respected his contemplation, silently taking in the sight and atmosphere.

"What do you think await us after death, Maiko?"

I glanced at the sculpture of the Will of Fire overlooking the cemetery. "I'm not sure I am the best person to talk about this, Hokage-sama."

"On the contrary, your point of view is unique. I'd like to hear it," he said, staring at me patiently.

I could tell him that his destiny after death had once consisted of being sealed in the Shinigami's stomach. I could tell him of the limbo where Kakashi's father had been stuck, or I could mention my own death and what I remembered of it: nothing.

"I think it doesn't matter," is what I said.

He tilted his head with a hint of curiosity.

"If you need to know what to expect at your death to live then you're doing it wrong," I added. Knowing that there were ANBU around who would ensure the Hokage's privacy, I felt secure enough to explain: "I lived once. I lost everything I knew and loved once."

We were standing close under the umbrella. I looked him in the eye and found there a wealth of sympathy and compassion.

"I grieved. For months, the cries of a baby were just as much those of hunger and fright than those of mourning. My parents brought me to the medic, thinking that something was wrong with me because I was crying so much. I had night terrors. Panic attacks. They had to hold me, rock me, sing to me for so long that they were exhausted, but they were there. Always."

I twirled the umbrella, sending drops everywhere around us.

"Then I calmed down. I learned to stop thinking about the past and to forgot some of it. I found peace in the present moment. I embraced what was given to me, and I made my choices knowing that whatever life or death throws at me, I wouldn't be looking back anymore, nor would I look so far forward that the fear of uncertainty overwhelms my ability to focus on what is right now." I focused on Minato's eyes. "That's why I think it doesn't matter: if you're happy with the life you lived then death is but the next step, and you have nothing to regret."

"Don't you fear the unknown?"

I shrugged. "That's why I don't think that I am the right person to talk about it, Hokage-sama: death was pretty unremarkable to me."

Grievers started to come towards us as they left the family around Haruka's grave. I glanced in that direction and concluded: "In death, I would say that those who are to be pitied are those left behind."

We turned toward the more bustling districts of Konoha, towards the living.

"Do you think about those you left behind?" Minato asked after a few seconds of hesitation.

"Not since I was a baby… There is a reason I forgot their faces and most of their names: self-preservation."

oOo

To be silent like a deadly assassin was the sign of a good shinobi. For the best, it became second nature. To detect them before they wanted you to was the sign of an even better shinobi.

I wasn't one of them.

As such, it was a surprise to hear small footsteps running at me, soon enough to identify Itachi and brace for contact as he threw himself at my legs. He hugged them for a fraction of a second before moving back, as if burnt by the contact. He stood very still, at attention, as he said: "Maiko-san, it's good to see you." He tried to be calm and distant but his words were a little too rushed.

I smiled, threw the letters I was holding on my desk, and crouched to be at his level. "Itachi-kun! I'm so glad to see you. I was worried after the way we left each other." I widened my eyes a little and added a little more quietly: "So worried that I think I need a hug."

Itachi wasn't fooled for a second by my theatrics, of course, but I gave him the excuse he was looking for and that was all that mattered to him. He stepped forward and opened his arms.

I grinned and leaned down to hug him gently. It wasn't a long hug — Itachi was too reserved for extended contact — but he looked calmer and more relaxed when he stepped back.

"I am the one who had reasons to worry," he remarked with a little sass and grumpiness.

I chuckled and rested my forearms on my knees. "True. I apologize for worrying you, Itachi-kun."

He blinked, surprised by my honest apology, before accepting it magnanimously: "You're forgiven."

"Thank you." I stood up and went to sit behind my new desk. "So, did I miss anything?"

"I met my new sensei this morning."

"Is that so?"

"His name is Minazuki Yuuki… My father doesn't like him."

"And do you?"

His shoulders shifted toward me, as if he was going to tell a secret, when a jounin appeared through the closest open window without bothering with discretion.

"Ah, Itachi-kun! I wasn't expecting to see you here. Hello Kamizuki-san! Is your new position agreeing with you?"

Ah. Minazuki Yuuki. Now I remembered him. A decent soldier from what I heard but not exceptional, clanless (no wonder that Fugaku didn't approve), and he had yet to learn when to keep quiet. He could thank the last war for his promotion; in time of peace he probably wouldn't have get it.

"Well enough," I replied tersely. I didn't appreciate the reminder of my 'promotion'. Most people, knowing of Haruka's brutal death, were smart and tactful enough to not comment on it. "What can I do for you, Minazuki-san?"

"I was hoping to see the Hokage."

"Unfortunately, he isn't here currently and his schedule for the day is full. Do you wish to make an appointment?"

"That won't be necessary, no, thank you. See you tomorrow, Itachi-kun!" He waved as he left through the window.

Itachi and I stared at each other. I tilted my head with a commiserating smile. "Yes, I can guess what you think of him. He might grow on you?"

"Comparing him to fungus is a bit harsh, Maiko-san," he replied, deadpanned.

I snorted and hid the bottom of my face to stifle my laughter.

Itachi had a dry sense of humor. I loved it!

We talked comfortably, about his family and Naruto (who might as well be his second little brother by now), staying away from the sensitive subjects that happened to also be classified.

I did mindless work as we spoke, focusing on scrolls and papers.

Imagine my surprise when the one I was reaching for ended up being a snake. I recoiled in fright, letting out a cry I wasn't proud of (I forgave myself for that stereotype of the girl in distress because: snake! in my personal space! so close from my hand I nearly touched it! That definitely deserved a squeal or two).

The grey snake, as long as my arm, barely had time to hiss at me before he was hit by two kunai and disappeared in a poof of smoke.

I stared at the blades stuck in the wood of my desk and realized I had forgotten to breathe. After a deep inhale, I removed the nearest kunai and handed it over to Itachi. "Thank you for your reactivity, gentlemen," I said in a shaky voice.

I had to pull a little harder on the second kunai and held it in the air. An ANBU appeared to retrieve it. He lingered long enough for me to look at him and notice his brown hair tied at the back of his neck. I smiled softly, in a silent reassurance that I was fine. Genma moved back in the shadows.

"Are you alright, Maiko-san?" Itachi asked, watching me carefully. He glanced at my shaking fingers.

I pressed my hands on the wood to calm the tremors and smiled a little more widely. "Of course, Itachi-kun. I was just surprised… and I'm not fond of snakes, there is that."

After a new deep breath, I opened a drawer and reached for a pair of rubber gloves. I put them on before manipulating the scroll that the snake had left behind. I set it down on a seal drawn by the Yondaime himself before removing a glove to activate the fuuinjutsu with a drop of chakra. The device glowed white as it scanned the scroll for anything dangerous, like poisons, seals or traps. It finally turned green, giving the all clear.

Nonetheless, I put back on the second glove before opening it while turning it away from myself or Itachi. When I was able to read its contents, I squinted at it, wishing to be able to set it on fire with the strength of my displeasure.

With a noise of disgust, I dropped it in the trashcan and removed the gloves.

"Anyway," I said to Itachi, "what were we talking about again? Oh, yes, your cousin helping Naruto with a prank, right? What's the name of this new prankster?"

"Shisui," Itachi replied, glancing at the trash curiously but too smart to ask about it.

I hummed. "Ah, yes, the damned tokubetsu jounin that likes to pop up in the office by shunshin, making papers fly everywhere and dropping leaves on the floor while he's at it," I grumbled good-naturedly.

"I… wasn't aware he did it here too," Itachi replied diplomatically.

"Well, to be fair, no, he doesn't do it anymore since I made him collect all the leaves by hand." I smirked. He nodded his approval with the face of a wise and sympathetic old man.

Itachi finally took his leave to join his family for lunch.

Once I was alone, Genma reappeared and leaned close. "The scroll?"

I glared at the offensive paper I had thrown in the trash. "Who is Mitarashi Anko's handler?"

Genma straightened in understanding. "Morino Ibiki."

"If he knew about this, I'm going to make his life an administrative hell, I swear," I growled.

Genma went to retrieve the paper and look at it. He huffed at what he read. "What are you going to do about it?"

"About what?" I replied, going back to work. "I certainly don't know what you are talking about. I never received anything looking like a transfer request from Mitarashi Anko. What a shame considering that it can't happen as long as the Hokage didn't approve it..."

"What a shame indeed," Genma agreed, amused by my passive-aggressiveness, before disappearing wherever the ANBU went (a mystery I had long ago decided to ignore).

oOo

The Hokage had spent most of the morning visiting Danzou's hideouts and ROOT's agents. He came back after lunch with Shikaku and Jiraiya by his side. Raidou and Iwashi stopped outside the door and took their position as guards.

I smoothly rose to my feet, gathered everything I needed, and followed inside.

Once the door closed behind me, the Yondaime activated a seal of privacy as he sat at his desk. "The ROOT agents' integration in our ranks seems to be progressing nicely. Should I be wary of any mishap, Maiko?"

"Not to my knowledge, Hokage-sama," I replied as I stopped on his right to arrange documents on his desk. "Unless their loyalty has previously shifted to Orochimaru, ROOT agents' allegiance is to Konoha. They should turn to you for guidance seamlessly."

"That's a real risk? Orochimaru's involvement?" Jiraiya asked.

"It is. Orochimaru has his entries in ROOT's network. I warned you of his most important agent."

"Yakushi Kabuto," Shikaku said, "adopted son of Yakushi Nono, jounin, medic-nin and former ROOT agent. Kabuto has left the Academy last year and subsequently entered ROOT, although his file showed he was one of their agent for a year before that."

"Is she dead?" I asked. "His mother, is she dead?"

"No."

"Good, he is loyal to her first and foremost. If she is alive, it means he isn't Orochimaru's agent yet. You might be able to salvage him, keep him loyal to Konoha, and avoid him becoming a crazy psychopath. Keep an eye on him, though. He has potential but he is unstable psychologically."

"What do you suggest we do with him?" Minato asked, his fingers spread on his cheek as he listened.

"His mother can keep him grounded. Make sure she's alright mentally too before that, though. I vaguely remember something about brainwashing, but I can't tell you why or how. Then, ask Kabuto what he wants to give him a sense of self-determination. If he asks for the medic corps, it's for the best. Keep him far from any spy work. Regular duty should be fine. Oh, and with Orochimaru he did a lot of medical research… don't let him go there. Seriously, it was nasty."

"Noted."

"Any other ROOT agent we should look for?"

"There was… the boy able to use Mokuton," I said, watching their expressions carefully.

"What about him?" Minato asked calmly.

So at least they knew about him.

"He'll be completely loyal to Konoha if you give him the opportunity. He'll grow into a brilliant shinobi."

Minato nodded. "Excellent."

Understanding that I wouldn't get any more information on the subject, I moved on. "There is also a boy… although he might still be too young to train in ANBU. I do not know the name he uses right now either. I know him as Sai. You might notice him for his talent as an artist. He'll learn to incorporate ink in ninjutsu, making him very resourceful."

"Physical description?" Shikaku asked.

"Pretty enough. Black hair, like ink. Really pale skin, like paper. He should be… a little older than Naruto."

The Jounin Commander nodded his understanding.

"That's all that come to mind. I'll tell you if I remember anything else."

"What about Orochimaru's hideouts?" Jiraiya immediately jumped in.

"I already shared with you the little I know. He has many bases in several countries, including ours. I know that ultimately he'll build a village, Otogakure, in the Land of Rice Fields, but where exactly I do not know."

"But that's it: how? How does he build a whole village?"

I shrugged. "How did the Shodaime did it? He convinced the daimyo and recruited people with abilities."

"Anyone in particular?"

I sighed and frowned. "I suppose but… I will have difficulty remembering their names. I didn't like them much. It would be easier the other way around: give me a name or a picture and I should be able to give you more."

"What about Akatsuki?" Jiraiya asked relentlessly.

"I already wrote everything I remembered about them," I replied a bit impatiently. "Jiraiya-sama, I promised that I'd share anything I remember; pestering me about it won't make me remember more!"

Jiraiya's retort was interrupted by a gesture from the Hokage. Shikaku accepted the dismissal easily and left with a bow of his head. Jiraiya was more reluctant but left with a deep sigh when the Yondaime raised an eyebrow in his direction.

Minato leaned in the back of his chair and watched me thoughtfully. I waited for him to speak, keeping my eyes down uneasily.

"You've told us a lot, Maiko, but I've a few more… personal questions."

"I'll do my best to answer, Hokage-sama," I whispered.

"What you said about Naruto…"

"It won't happen," I interrupted him. Realizing I was too brusque, I sighed and added: "Please, don't think about it, Minato-sama, and don't ask me to tell you more. It would just burden you needlessly. Let me keep that for myself."

Minato didn't reply immediately. He was pensive. "What kind of man did he become?"

I smiled softly. "A strong shinobi and a fine leader… He became Hokage. The Nanadaime, I believe."

He grinned. "Did he?"

"Yes. He mastered your Rasengan and even improved it."

Minato's smile was blinding. "What about Kakashi? You mentioned him."

"Ah… well…" I hesitated about what to say. Deciding to avoid any mention of porn, chronic tardiness (the Kakashi I knew had copied this bad habit from his old friend too, but it wasn't as bad as the one from the manga, a few minutes instead of hours), PTSD or antisocial behavior, I kept it simple. "He was the Rokudaime."

A noise startled me and I whirled around to see an ANBU with grey hair looking like he had fallen from the ceiling.

"Oh really?" Minato said, looking quite amused when I glanced at him.

Kakashi definitely wasn't amused. He was glaring at me like I had sworn.

I raised my hands in defense. "What? It's true."

"That's not possible," he growled in my face after crossing the space separating us in a flash.

I blinked at his vehement denial, wondering what would be an appropriate answer. Because I was still a little angry with him, I chose the cheeky option. "Of course, Rokudaime-sama. If you say it ain't so then it isn't."

Minato chuckled gleefully.

Kakashi looked ready to strangle me. He disappeared without further ado, probably to brood in peace.

Temporarily satisfied with what he learned, Minato diverted the conversation to the daily activity of an Hokage and his assistant.

Once we were done, I lingered, immediately getting his attention.

"Is there anything else?"

"I have… something to ask of you."

"I'm listening."

"What I told you, about my… reincarnation, I want to share the story with Genma." I pursed my lips and admitted bashfully: "He asked me to go out with him, but I can't imagine a true relationship while I have to hide such an important part of myself."

He nodded slowly. "I understand."

"Do I have your permission?"

Minato rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he stared into space. "You have it. I trust Genma. But he'll be the only one and you'll steer clear of any sensitive information like those you shared in the scrolls. Understood?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama. Thank you." I bowed gratefully before leaving.

oOo

This evening, I invited Genma back to my apartment. I offered him tea. While I prepared it, I nervously wondered how to tell him I was from another world. Somehow, revealing the truth to him made me even more anxious than when I'd spoken to the Council.

Genma was waiting patiently, leaning back on the other side of the kotatsu. He was aware of my agitation, but the reasons he imagined were no doubt far from the truth.

As I breathed in, getting ready to speak up, a knock at the door stopped me in my tracks. I frowned. "Sorry. I'm not expecting anyone."

Of all possible guests I imagined, Kakashi wasn't one of them. I tilted my head in a silent inquiry.

He was standing with his hands in his pockets, looking perfectly nonchalant. "Hi! I'm your chaperone!" he announced cheerfully before pushing past me to walk in, waving at Genma as he did.

"You've got to be kidding me," I growled while shutting the door (no need to include every noisy neighbours too in what was supposed to be a _private_ conversation).

"Hokage's orders! But don't worry, I'll sit right here, out of the way, on the kitchen counter, and read my book so you can pretend I'm not around."

I was familiar with the concept of controlling the spread of sensitive information, but somehow I felt this was pushing it… maybe because Kakashi seemed to have way too much fun with this situation.

Genma looked from Kakashi to me, a little more alert and curious. "Alright, I bite. What's going on?"

I sighed and tugged on my hair, getting it out of its bun and letting it free so I could rub my poor aching scalp. "I have something to tell you… that happens to be classified."

He squinted at me curiously and removed the senbon from his lips. "Does this have anything to do with your new S-level status?"

"Yes."

"Then I'm eager to hear it."

Easier said than done. Somehow, Kakashi's presence made it even harder for me to find the right words. How to start? At least, the Council had some clues that something was different with me.

I sighed again and sat down with a leg under me, taking comfort in the cozy warmth of the kotatsu. With an elbow on the table and my chin resting on the back of my hand, I warned him: "This is going to sound crazy, but please let me finish and keep in mind that the Go-Ikenban believes me…"

Kakashi cleared his throat behind me (it was a good thing my back was to him, I could try to ignore him).

"You, shut up," I grumbled. "Your personal opinion is irrelevant."

Unfortunately, Genma had a direct view on our annoying chaperone and his eyes went from him to me in a distracting way. He made an hand gesture to invite me to continue.

"It started before my birth…"

Relating everything once again was more tiring than it had been days before. To his credit, Genma stayed quiet for the entire time, his elite training showing in his impassivity. His senbon had disappeared in his pouch, proof that he was too unsure of his emotional reactions to risk playing with a weapon.

"Are you following me so far?" I asked at some point, wondering if I had lost him in the extravagance of what I was describing.

"Uhuh, crazy grandpa being creepy with his own family," he summarized helpfully. "Unfortunately more common than I'd like. Go on."

As I described the world I came from and the manga I had read, Genma shifted his weight on the side. I wondered for a second if he was going to bolt away from my madness. His eyes went up and I realized he was seeking eye-contact with Kakashi, probably checking this was still confirmed information.

"For example, in this book," I continued, "the first time you appear is as a proctor for the final matches in the Chuunin Exams."

"Am I cool?" Genma asked for the first time, as if it was a reflex and he couldn't stop himself from making a quip.

"The coolest," I replied. "You've a very nice line, advice to one of the kids, that I unfortunately can't remember."

Since I couldn't say too much about the confidential information, I moved on to what I did as I grew up in this world. Then I described what happened a few days ago that lead to this situation where I was admitting the truth to all those who mattered.

"I matter?" Genma repeated.

"Is that what you're taking from all of this?" I said, amused. "Of course you matter, silly. I didn't want to have a relationship with you without telling you the truth, so I asked for the Hokage's permission."

"Is that why you're doing this? Because you want us to be together?"

"Yes." I looked him in the eye and added: "If you still want to after everything I told you, that is..."

He rubbed his chin. "I… am not going to lie, that's a lot to take in. I mean… how old does that make you, even?"

"Mh… I died around thirty from what I recall — I don't have many memories about my death — so… around forty-five to fifty?"

Genma snorted. "And Iwashi who was telling me you were too young for me..."

"Don't make me feel like I'm the craddle robber now," I protested with a lopsided smile.

Our attempt at humor was gauche. A moment of uncomfortable silence followed.

"If you need some time to think about it, I understand," I finally said.

He nodded. "I think it would be best, if you don't mind."

"Go on."

He stood up, stopped by my side and bent down to kiss my forehead. "Thanks for trusting me with this, sweetheart."

Reassured by his use of a pet name, I smiled and watched him leave. Before the door was completely closed, I jumped out of my seat and grabbed Kakashi by his ankle, right before he could leave by the window. He looked down at me in displeasure. I raised an eyebrow at him from my place lying on the floor.

"Are you running away from me?"

"Maa... just leaving you in peace now that I've done my duty. I thought you would be happy."

"We need to talk."

"Do we? Need is a strong word—"

I tugged on his leg more firmly. "Sit down."

Because Kakashi was contrary, he sat down right here and there, under the window, instead of at the kotatsu, like I was _clearly_ suggesting. He looked me in the eye, blinking lazily, and drawled: "Ma'am, yes ma'am."

I hesitated, feeling like he had relented too easily but wouldn't be cooperative for all that. To ensure that he wouldn't flee as soon as he had the chance, I slowly moved forward, expecting a resistance that never came. While I made myself comfortable on his lap, he watched me with half-lidded eyes.

"Do you think I'm a crazy woman that needs to be locked up?"

"No."

"Then what do you think Kakashi?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because you matter to me. I like you, and I would be sad to lose your friendship."

"What makes you think you had it?"

"A hunch."

A hand suddenly grabbed the back of my head through my hair and, in a second, Kakashi had me pressed with my back on the floor and him hovering over me.

… I suppose it was naive of me to think I could immobilize him. My bad.

"I am not him," he said firmly. "The one you know, who became Rokudaime and was Naruto's sensei. I am not _him_."

"No, you're not," I agreed, "and I would never want you to be. In fact, I've done everything possible to make sure you don't become him."

He hesitated and leaned closer.

"That man was lonely, traumatized, and a right mess. I never want you to become him. But if you think that you can't reach his level, you're doing yourself and Konoha a disservice."

He looked like he was going to object. I poked him in the sternum.

"Whether you want to become Hokage or not is not the point. There will come a day when you'll have the experience, the reputation, and the capacities of a Kage. You'll even be better than the one I read about, because you'll have the support of your family and the guidance of your sensei for far longer than the other Kakashi had the opportunity to." I gently pressed a hand against his jacket, over his heart. "Your destiny is your own. I irremediably changed the future. I can't predict what it will become. You might not become Hokage. It's alright if you don't want to be. Just know that you have the potential for it."

"You want to shape us as you wish."

"No!" I denied vehemently. "Is that what you think of me? When did I ever tell you to do anything? I just gave you information to change things!"

"Select information. With the right intel, it's easy to manipulate—"

"Sage, Kakashi! I already promised to tell you everything I know! What else do you want?" I frowned and asked: "Is this about Obito again?"

"You never told us he was alive!" he roared.

I was going to defend my choice, an excuse on the tip of my tongue, when I realized how worked up Kakashi was, how affected he was.

I didn't understand his obsession. I truly didn't. Oh, I understood the theory behind the trauma of what they had lived together but… All I remembered of Obito was the kid that had been so annoying and smug when I'd met him as a member of the genin corps, or the monster that he had become, Tobi, because he was so obsessed with his love for Rin that he decided to destroy the world for it. No, I didn't understand his love for Obito.

And, it was true, what I was going to say: realistically, there was very little chance that knowing that Obito was alive would have enable Kakashi to find him and bring him back to Konoha before the day of Naruto's birth…

But to rob him of the opportunity to try… to make him grieve and hate himself when Obito wasn't even dead... it was wrong of me.

"I am sorry."

Kakashi had closed his eye in anger. He looked at me, startled by the tears gathering in my eyes.

"You are right. I should have told you. I am sorry," I repeated. "I didn't mean… It wasn't an attempt to manipulate you, or anyone. I just… I was lost, Kakashi. I tried my best but I am not infallible. I made a mistake. I apologize." I raised a hand to his face tentatively and brushed his temple. "Please, forgive me. I will do better."

"You will… I'll make sure of it."

"As my friend?" I asked hopefully.

"Yes."

I grinned and, in a rush of affection, rise to kiss his masked lips. "Thank you!"

He was gone before I could say anything else.

Blinking at the ceiling, I sighed and shrugged. "Small steps."

 **oOo CHANGE of PoV oOo**

It was late at night in the ANBU headquarters.

Genma had booked a training room for himself. Yet, he was unsurprised when Kakashi walked in during his warm-up. Without a word, he accepted the implicit invitation to practice together. They started with a lazy taijutsu match, during which neither of them tried very hard, their minds not completely on the task.

"Since when did you know?" Genma asked.

"A few days."

"Did Danzou know?"

"Hokage-sama thinks he had doubts. The grandfather was one of his old friends."

"And does Maiko know _that_?"

"I don't think so." He dodged a punch. "No need to worry her."

"Not like she hasn't enough on her mind…" He parried a kick and jumped back. "It's fucked up… she basically knows an alternate timeline. She saw some people she know died… And she died herself? I don't think I could deal with all that crap."

Kakashi hummed, non-committal.

"Did she tell you about some of it?"

"Some. I was there at her audience with the Council."

Genma firmly held his opponent's wrist to halt their fight. "That's not what I mean. Did she tell you about _your_ life in that book? You look… preoccupied."

Kakashi shrugged it off and skillfully got out of the hold with a kick.

Genma sighed. "Alright, have it your way."

What had been a lazy match evolved into a serious fight where kunai and then swords came into action. Kakashi's focus was razor sharp and Genma was hard pressed to follow the rhythm he set.

After barely a couple of minutes, Genma had to pull back and yield.

Only the sound of their heavy breathing could be heard in the room. Kakashi stubbornly avoided his friend's eyes.

"You're so stubborn," Genma huffed. "I'm not Maiko. I don't have the patience or the skill to get you to talk, so I won't bother. You'll listen instead." He stepped forward slowly. "All this stuff I learned today? It changes nothing. Maiko is still the same woman I fell in love with. This world is still the same I grew up in and fought for. I just feel lucky to have them both when I'm now aware of what could have been." He stopped barely a foot away from his friend. "I'm going to ask her out on a date tomorrow. I'm going to enjoy this life and this chance at a relationship. And I advise you to do the same instead of ruminating on whatever is going on in your overworked brain."

"What? Asking her out on a date?" Kakashi retorted.

Genma shrugged. "If that's what you want." At the surprised blink of his friend, he snorted. "Just be aware I'll be included in the package." He reached out to tousle the silver hair. "Stop overthinking things, Kakashi."

* * *

 _I've been asked if the Genma/Maiko/Kakashi relationship would include development of Kakashi/Genma. As you can see in the previous scene, the answer is "yes, absolutely!" It won't be just Kakashi/Maiko and Genma/Maiko but a true polyamory relationship. I'm looking forward to including such a relationship in the world of Naruto: I have ideas for world-building. =D  
_

 _Thanks to_ _ **Sage Thrasher** , my wonderful beta (who save you from awful frenchy grammar), and thanks for your support. I'm the worst at replying to reviews unless you've a specific question, but be certain I read and appreciate them! I also liked reading your suggestions for the new Hokage's assistant. The matter will be resolved in the next chapter. Some of you got it right. Some of you also gave me ideas. =)_


	15. Respite

"Any questions?"

From Kotetsu's face, I could tell that the briefing had been long and tedious enough, but I might have forgot something important. I wasn't used to briefing anyone after all: I had never been a leader. Members of the Genin Corps were followers for life, which had never been a problem for me... until I had to coordinate a mission without any experience in doing so.

"Yes, Maiko-san. Who is team leader?"

Case in point…

I looked down at Itachi, hiding my embarrassment at this oversight behind a grin. "Izumo-kun is the chuunin in charge but, like I said, since you have some experience working here, he'll listen to your input." I stared at my cousin with a raised eyebrow. "Won't you?"

"Of course, Maiko-nee-chan," Izumo replied dutifully. Since he knew me so well, he added to comfort me: "We got this. We three are to do your job for a day. We'll be fine."

"I'm sure you'll be. And if you've any question, Raidou and Iwashi might be able to help you so—"

"Yes, Maiko-san!" Kotetsu interrupted me. "You already said so. We got this."

I huffed but, understanding what they were really saying, I grabbed my haori and put it on. "Alright then, I suppose I should leave you to it."

It was my first day off since I became Minato's main assistant. I needed a break, I really did, and I had planned this in advance to make sure they wouldn't have anything bothersome to deal with, but still… I was worried something unexpected would come up.

Ah, well, if it did, one of them would come to find me.

They were supposed to be better prepared for the unexpected than a member of the Genin Corps, right? Adventure and action were their life blood, or something like that. I would keep my comforting routine anyday rather than that bullshit! That being said, I supposed that routine was relative when you worked for the Hokage.

I smiled at Itachi, glad that he was free today since his sensei had an unfortunate training accident (which really didn't improve Fugaku's opinion of the jounin…). With his intelligence and Izumo's common sense, they should be able to offset Kotetsu's knack for trouble.

"I'm counting on you! See you tonight at six!"

I left the Hokage's tower with a full day in front of me and no paperwork to deal with. What's more, the weather was mercifully warm and sunny for spring. A breath of fresh air later, I hopped through the streets of Konoha, determined to enjoy it.

After grocery shopping (my kitchen had been dreadfully empty: I had been eating take-out for days), my first stop was to the Nara compound.

Yoshino welcomed me with a smile and a squeeze of my shoulder before inviting me in for tea. As I sat down on the patio at her request while she prepared a tea tray, I noticed Shikamaru sitting cross-legged in the inner courtyard with his eyes closed. I snorted and stepped down of the wooden walkway to stop behind him and, bending down, whispered in his ear: "Did you fall asleep while meditating?"

"Don't tell mum," he grumbled in a dozing murmur. I had seen him startle awake when he heard my footsteps. He carefully opened an eye to glance at me and, seeing my grin, sighed slowly.

"Hello to you too, my little teddybear."

I offered him my hands. He grabbed them, compliantly letting me pull him up. Once on his feet, he even raised his arms in a silent "pick me up" request. I snorted, knowing that I was spoiling him by carrying his lazy ass everywhere, but I couldn't resist. I was weak for cute kids.

"How have you been? Is everything going well with your mum?"

"It's better," he mumbled against the soft skin of my neck as he rested his head on my shoulder. "But obaa-san has been silly."

I sat down on the pillow lying on the patio. "Your dad's mom? How so?"

"She screamed at mum while dad wasn't here. I had to tell her to leave," he explained with such a put-upon sigh that it sounded like it had been a _terrible_ effort.

"You… what?" I blinked down at him in surprise.

"She woke me up from my nap," he said like it explained everything.

"What did you tell her exactly?" I asked, overcome by an avid curiosity.

His forehead rolled against my collarbone as he grumbled.

Yoshino appeared with a tray in hand. "He said, I quote, that if all she did was making me feel worse, she should leave, because he wanted a hug, and mine were better. She tried to reply but he pointed at the door with the most determined look I've ever seen on him." She kneeled on a pillow and leaned over to whisper: "I might have cried a little."

"Aww. I'm proud of you, Shikamaru-kun!" I hugged him a little tighter and dropped a kiss in his hair.

"Me too," Yoshino admitted with a tender smile and glance at her son. It struck me that, for the first time, she truly seemed loving toward him. "And so was Shikaku."

"It isn't such a big deal," Shikamaru grumbled. He sounded slightly embarrassed and carefully kept his face hidden against my haori.

"Yes, yes it is," I insisted. "It takes courage to intervene in a fight between two people you like, to defend the one who needs it and to stand your ground."

"It was the right thing to do," he replied with a shrug.

As I looked down at him, I was vividly reminded that this was the boy who would defend Chouji from bullies and accept the ostracized Naruto despite all his flaws.

"Yes, it was. Doing the right thing is something you should be proud of."

He raised his head and squinted at me. "Why? Isn't doing the right thing just… you know… how it should be?"

I hummed in agreement, pleased by his thoughtful question. "It is, but doing the right thing is often much more harder than ignoring a problem. _That's_ the easy way. And, to be honest, it's relatively common for the Nara to choose that easy way, despite their intellect, because they're lazy. Weren't you tempted, that day, to just go back to sleep somewhere you couldn't hear them?"

Shikamaru flinched and looked away from me or his mum. I gently smoothed his hair.

"The easy way is tempting. The fact is, it will _always_ tempt you. You'll sigh and groan, but in the end you'll do the right thing."

"How do you know? How do you know I'll be brave enough to be a shinobi and fight Konoha's enemies?" he asked, staring at me so intensely that I realized this question truly bothered him.

"How? Honey, you just proved it," I replied softly. "You fought to defend someone you loved, someone who needed you."

"It's not the same thing!"

"Believe me, it is." I gently poked his nose, reminded of myself at his age, terrified at the idea of becoming a kunoichi. It wasn't for me, I thought at the time. I couldn't. I couldn't hurt anyone. Well, it turned I could. I did. If push came to shove, people were capable of things they couldn't imagine, especially in this world. "Becoming a shinobi, it's not being unafraid, like you might think when you watch your dad, who always looks so calm. Becoming a shinobi, it's… taking charge of your own protection and those you love, by participating in the village's work with your personal abilities. Do you get what I mean?"

"Not sure," he admitted after a few seconds. "Some of it…"

"That's alright. We'll talk more about this when you're older if you want. In the meantime, you have to take my word for it: you would be a great shinobi. I know so," I said with utmost confidence.

"Alright," he said before turning to the tray and pointing at the wagashi, the traditional confections served with tea. "Can I have one?"

"What do you have to say?" Yoshino retorted calmly.

"Please."

"Good," she approved before hesitating, clearly trying to decide which one to give him. She finally selected a daifuku, a small rice cake stuffed with red bean paste. "Here... That's your favorite, isn't it?"

"Uh, is there bean in it?"

"Yes."

"Then no, just mochi… please."

Yoshino accepted it calmly and held out the appropriate rice cake, waiting for a "thank you" before releasing it.

I smiled softly at the domestic scene. Their relationship looked so much better, not perfect but more serene. They were both trying. Filled with joy, I dropped a kiss in Shikamaru's hair once again.

He threw me an exasperated glance. "Don't you have a boyfriend to kiss?"

"Shikamaru!" Yoshino protested.

I burst into laughter. "Maybe, but you're a much better teddybear."

Shikamaru huffed but didn't try to get out of my embrace; he just sprawled across my lap and kept his head far from my lips.

I chuckled and accepted the cup Yoshino was offering.

"I'm glad to see you, Maiko," she said. "Shikaku kept me up to date on the public details, but you had me worried when I was told you were in prison."

Shikamaru's head suddenly rise up. "What?!"

"Ah, don't worry, I was cleared," I explained while stroking his back.

He threw me a glance that conveyed a peeved "Obviously".

I chuckled. "Everything is fine now, Shikamaru, I promise. Life has just been a little hectic lately."

"What's hectic?" Shikamaru grumbled, still not pacified.

"Something like busy and confusing all in one?" I tried to define.

Shikamaru hummed and lied back down.

"You heard about Haruka-san," I said to his mum.

"Yes," Yoshino admitted. "I'm sorry."

"Yes, well… I wanted to talk to you about that, actually. I've been promoted to first assistant since, and the Hokage asked me to find someone for the position of second assistant… You are the first person I thought of."

Yoshino froze with her cup to her chin and slowly lowered it. "I'm flattered, Maiko, but you know I can't…" She glanced at Shikamaru, who had closed his eyes as soon as we started talking about work.

"I know that you want to," I replied. "You like to work. You liked being an assistant."

"I did," she agreed without looking at me. "But this part of my life is over."

"It doesn't need to be just because traditions say so. You wouldn't be happy as a housewife."

"I have responsibilities, Maiko," she replied curtly.

I paused, aware that this was a sensitive issue and that I was rubbing it in; but still, I persisted. "They might not be incompatible. The Hokage was thinking of taking in a third assistant later on, in which case your schedule could be more flexible. And it's not like Shikamaru is a demanding kid. You could bring him to work. He could nap and challenge anyone with some free time to a match of shogi or go. If you need to leave the office, I can look over him, or he can go visit his father for a while…"

"No," she said, "please don't insist, Maiko. I can't…" Her voice was hoarse, as if she had a lump in her throat.

"Say yes."

We both looked down in surprise at Shikamaru. He was staring at his mother with half-lidded eyes.

"You want to. Say yes. I can nap anywhere. I don't care. If I want to say here, I can ask obaa-san or Kojika-nee-chan."

"Shikamaru… I can't. It's not just only you."

He sighed and rolled over to get out of my lap and crawl over to his mom. "Dad will say yes too."

I sipped my tea as Shikamaru slowly chipped away at his mother's resolve. When it appeared she was on the brink of refusing just to stop the doubt and uncertainty, I grabbed a piece of dango and stood up.

"I should go. This is my first day off in ages, you know, lots of things to do… I need an answer in two days at the latest but take the time to think it through and talk about it with Shikaku-san, alright? Thank you for the tea and see you later! Love you, teddybear!"

I disappeared via the rooftop (those jounin were rubbing off on me).

oOo

My hasty departure from the Nara wasn't for nothing. I had a date to prepare for. Genma and I had scheduled our day off at the same time for this express purpose after all.

I had chosen my outfit in advance (not that it was difficult to do: I didn't have much in my wardrobe beside the standard uniform and my usual work attire; that's how pathetic my social life was): a pretty yukata that I didn't have the opportunity to wear before, belated gift of the Nara for my birthday. While I had felt that it was much too generous at the time, I was quite happy to wear it today. It was _really_ pretty, in soft green with pink and white flowers and a light pink obi. What's more, the gift from Genma, Rin and Minato — the golden earrings with emeralds — was a perfect fit.

Pleased with the result, I let my hair fall freely on my shoulders and kept it away from my face thanks to a white headband.

A knock at the door announced Genma's arrival. His bandana and senbon were nowhere to be seen. While his pants looked like the standard uniform in black, he was wearing a tight black sleeveless shirt under an open and loose green shirt. It showed off his muscles, which was no accident.

"You look lovely," was the first thing he said.

"Thanks. You look sexy," I replied, pulling on his shirttails while craning my neck for a kiss.

He didn't disappoint. His lips brushed mine softly before he took a step forward, put an hand around my waist and came back for a more thorough exploration. I had meant it to be tender and brief but we got a little distracted. So much so that I pulled back chuckling and pushing him away.

"Come on, lunch first."

"Ma'am, yes ma'am."

We walked to the restaurant he had chosen while holding hands. As silly as it might sounded, I loved it… more than I thought I would. Kakashi and Aoba had been my only relationships in this life, and none of them had been the romantic kind (although Aoba would have wanted it to be). I thought I was fine with it but the bubble of elation filling my heart was proving me otherwise.

While I had never been fond of dating, doing it with someone I was so familiar with made it feel exciting and enjoyable rather than nerve-wracking. Genma had a knack to make me laugh and awkward silence wasn't a worry.

"Uhuh, I don't believe you," I said while stealing a maki from his plate.

He took one from mine and replied: "I promise you, that's exactly what happened. She fell right into my arms, and that's the story of how my first kiss gave me a split lip."

"Alright, even if it's true, it doesn't count as a first kiss. Poor Kurenai-san, she must have been livid."

"Well, she _was_ , but I was more scared of Asuma at the time. The glare he gave me when I tried to tease her about it… no matter that _he_ teased her _a lot_."

I snorted. "Those two have an interesting relationship," I agreed. "Still. It doesn't count. You were what… ten?"

"Yep. Alright, fine. My _real_ first kiss… I was twelve and it was with Raidou."

"Ha! I knew it!"

"You knew what?" He asked curiously.

"That you kissed Raidou at least once."

"We were both trying to figure out our sexual orientation," he admitted with a shrug. "It turns out he mostly prefers women. Whatever. Yours?"

"Aoba," I said with a shrug of my own. He already knew that, didn't he?

"But that's not _really_ your first, is it?"

I froze with my chopsticks in the air and chewed slowly on a sushi. I realized he was talking about my previous life but… I swallowed and admitted, staring at my plate intently: "I… I don't really remember it. I try not to."

His hand moved to rest on mine before I could hide it under the table. I was shaking slightly.

"Sorry. I shouldn't have pried." He intertwined our fingers and squeezed gently.

"It's alright," I breathed, focused on his thumb caressing my knuckles. "It's just… easier to focus on the present, you know?"

"I do," he agreed before raising my hand to his lips and kissing the back of it.

We exchanged a soft smile and went back to our lunch in companionable silence.

After eating, we took the long way back to my apartment, slowly walking along the river. The weather being nice and sunny, we stopped for a while. As I sat down on the grass, Genma sat behind me with a leg on each side of me, my back resting against his chest and his arms around mine.

Despite our relaxed posture, we had ended up talking about the social realities of this world and its clans. I had directed the conversation there without even thinking about it, distracted by my meeting with Yoshino this morning. I wasn't going to apologize for it: Genma would need to get used to my activism if he was serious about our relationship, and he didn't seem to mind anyway.

"So, obviously my view of this world is skewed, right?" I continued our discussion while finding a comfortable position with the back of my head against his shoulder. "But I wondered, for someone who hasn't been raised in a clan, what do you think of it?"

"It's tradition... and I think it's bullshit," Genma replied bluntly, "but then, my mother was a badass kunoichi who didn't take lessons for no-one. Still is. She retired from active duty when she chose to, not when a man told her so. She was the exception to the norm, though."

I hummed and took his hand in mine, playing with his calloused fingers absentmindedly. "I see…"

"Oooh, are you reading his palm?"

I startled violently at the new voice and threw a kick at the jounin who just appeared beside us.

Kakashi deftly avoided it. My geta flew a few meters away.

I cursed and glared at him. "Stop doing that!"

Genma had barely twitched, no doubt having noticed Kakashi much sooner. He chuckled at my reaction. I hit his leg for not warning me.

"My most humble apologies, Lady Seer," Kakashi mocked, pretending to fawn over me.

"Oh, shut up," I grumbled, unable to be angry with him for long. "Just get me my shoe, idiot."

With a new bow, Kakashi went to retrieve it and threw it back to me. I pulled it back on with one last glare.

"What are you doing here?" Genma asked.

"I'm doing what you suggested."

"What are you talking about?"

I looked up to see Genma frowning, visibly wondering what suggestion he referred to.

"You told me to do the same as you."

There was a spark of recognition and a groan. Genma was the one throwing a shuriken at Kakashi this time (no matter where he went, a shinobi was never unharmed, that he was still wearing a thigh holster was a given, my own fans were in my obi). "That's not what I meant and you know it!"

Kakashi easily caught the shuriken and waved it around between two fingers. "Do I? I don't think I do." His voice had taken a sing-song quality which was characteristic when he was having a laugh at someone's expense.

"Want to fill me in?" I asked.

"Ignore him," Genma grumbled.

"Somehow, that never works well with him. He is stubborn _and_ patient. Just tell me what's going on."

Genma sighed heavily. "When I told him I was going to ask you out and enjoy life, I may have told him to do the same."

"It was a beautiful speech!" Kakashi commented.

"Oh." I realized what was going on. Trust Kakashi to be a little jackass as a payback to make him deal with _feelings_.

"Yeah," Genma agreed, probably regretting ever speaking to his friend.

"Oooh, Kakashi, just because you're bad at asking a girl out doesn't mean you have to crash her date!" I jumped on my feet and grabbed his jacket despite his attempt to escape. He did managed to destabilize me though, and I stumbled backward, bringing him in my fall.

Genma cushioned the impact with a grunt and I found myself in a sandwich, Kakashi lying on my lap.

After the initial shock, the ridiculousness of the situation hit me. Soft snickers became full-blown laughter.

In between his own chuckles, Genma kissed my neck. Kakashi raised himself on an elbow and stared at me, unimpressed. It just made me laugh more while patting his hair.

"Sorry, sorry," I said when he became annoyed, "but you brought this on on yourself."

"I suppose…" He sighed. "Well, in that case…" He shifted, turned around and made himself comfortable in my lap, before pulling out a book from his belt pouch. "Don't mind me."

There was a tremor behind me. I caught Genma's hand before he could close it around Kakashi's neck.

"Don't."

"Come on, just a little," Genma pleaded.

I chuckled but shook my head. "It's alright," I breathed, craning my neck to see him. "We'll have other dates."

"And he'll crash them again?" Genma grumbled.

"Now he won't. He isn't really a people person, remember?" I raised my eyebrows pointedly, willing him to understand.

Kakashi wouldn't seek contact and company without a reason. I doubted he would be willing to explain himself, but I had learned during our short relationship to go with the flow rather than force my way through.

Genma hesitated, glanced at Kakashi who was pretending to ignore us, and finally sighed. "Alright. But I'm holding you to that next date, sweetheart."

"Of course." I offered my lips. He delivered a kiss without hesitation and shifted our hands until our fingers were intertwined.

So our date finished in an impromptu slumber party.

It could have been worse.

oOo

At six o'clock, I was at the Hokage's tower like promised (and in work clothes, no need to attract unwanted attention with a yukata).

The afternoon had been quiet. The weather had become cloudy, and we had moved to my apartment. Kakashi had fallen asleep on the couch at some point, which led me to learn he had come back from a mission this morning. I refused to interrupt his rest, worried that his mission had been the cause for his clinginess and thinking that he should get a good sleep, free from nightmares, as much as he could.

With Kakashi asleep, Genma had used the opportunity for more kissing and nuzzling in between some quiet times. Our chuckles and whispers were kept quiet by necessity but felt all the more precious for it.

All in all, this had been a good day of rest. No-one had come running to me about an emergency so I was quite hopeful that everything had gone well at work too.

"MAIKOOOOOOO-san" was the whine that greeted me as soon as I stepped in the office.

For a few seconds, I feared the worst.

All that came up was a blond rocket. One that jumped in my arms and consequently stole my breath away for a few seconds.

"Hi there Naruto-kun," I finally managed to say. "What's wrong?"

He pointed behind him to the shinobi coming toward us. "Scary eyebrows!"

"Oh. Hello Gai-san."

The jounin beamed. "Good evening Maiko-san! How are you in this beautiful day?!"

"Fine, fine. Uh… Why are you here alone with Naruto-kun?"

"Yondaime-sama asked me to take care of his honorable son while he finished his meeting with his guards! We've been playing youthful games of rock-paper-scissors!"

"He cheats," Naruto grumbled.

"As I explained, Naruto-kun, the trick is to learn body language!"

"Alright," I interrupted before the conversation wandered. "And where are Izumo, Itachi and Kotetsu?"

"I was asked not to reveal this information to you, Maiko-san," Gai replied very seriously.

I felt the corner of my lips twitched as I immediately imagined the worst.

Naruto put his hands around my ear and whispered: "They are chasing the snakes."

"What? What snakes?!" I immediately looked down at my feet and checked around that no crawling things were in view.

Footsteps behind me announced the arrival of Izumo. He was holding a cardboard box that he threw in his best friend's arms as soon as he caught sight of me. Kotetsu and the box immediately disappeared. I'd give it to them: they made a good duo. Itachi seemed to fit right in because he was just as expressionless as Izumo, despite the suspicious glance I sent them.

"Was that hissing I heard from that box?"

"Hissing? No. Absolutely not," Izumo replied as he came to me and, with a hand on my back, redirected me toward my desk. "There was no incident today. Everything went smoothly, you had absolutely nothing to worry about."

"Izumo…"

"The paperwork you prepared is all done. Itachi took notes for you—"

"Izumo," I interrupted more firmly, "there is a snake on my chair." I was holding onto Naruto a bit more firmly than was probably comfortable.

With a curse word, Izumo grabbed the animal right behind the head — as if he had done this all afternoon — and threw it out the window. "I knew we had missed one," he whispered to Itachi.

"Alright," I sighed, "spit it out, what happened?"

"Just a silly prank, nothing to worry about," Izumo said. Itachi looked up at him insistently. He sighed. "Fine. Someone freed a bunch of snakes in the office while we were distracted. We got them all, I promise. That was the last one."

"And you have no idea who it was?" I asked. I glanced at Naruto as I sat down. "It wasn't you, was it, Naruto-kun?"

The kid shook his head. "Nuhuh! Dad and Kakashi-nii-san said no playing with animals! And Itachi-nii-san said you didn't like snakes! And Iruka-nii-san said it was mean to do scary pranks so it's only for mean people!"

"Good, good," I approved, petting his hair. "Never mind," I told my replacements. "I have some ideas. I'll deal with this later. Gai-san, can you still take care of Naruto-kun for a while?"

"Nooo, I want to stay with you," Naruto protested, holding onto my neck while Gai stepped forward.

"Just for a while, Naruto-kun. I have to talk about work with Itachi and Izumo. If you don't want to play rock-paper-scissors with Gai-san, why don't you help him train? I bet he can do fifty pumps with you on his back."

"Excellent idea, Maiko-san! I can do a hundred!"

"I don't believe ya, dattebayo!"

With the two excitable guys kept busy in a corner, I listened to the summary of my replacements' day. Apart from the snakes, it indeed went well. I couldn't complain. I had definitely expected worse. As such, I let them go with a few compliments.

With a few moments for myself, I rested my head in the palm of my hand and fondly watched Gai and Naruto. They had so much energy to share. It was a good pair, no matter what Naruto seem to think about it. I had no doubt he would get used to his nii-chan's best friend.

The Hokage's office opened, letting through Raidou and Iwashi. Immediately, Naruto jumped on his feet and ran in, calling for his father.

Gai stood up and came to me. "Maiko-san, I was wondering if you knew where I might find my eternal rival?!"

A devilish smile stretched my lips.

I gave my address to Gai. The date crasher deserved all the excessive energy from the Green Beast he would get!

That vengeful thought was quickly vanquished by my greater concern for Kakashi, and I said: "Oh, by the way, Gai..."

The jounin froze in his movement to leave and gracefully turned around to face me. "Yes, Maiko-san?"

More seriously, I leaned forward, inviting him silently to do the same. "He seemed a bit… unsettled when I saw him. I know you're his best friend, no matter what he might say, so if there is anything you usually do to lift his spirits, it might be a good idea today."

Gai looked surprised then quickly solemn. "You can count on me, Maiko-san."

"Ah, but he looked a little tired," I added quickly, fearing this would end up in an outlandish challenge.

"My eternal rival is lucky to have your friendship and consideration, Maiko-san. I'll take care of him. You have my word!" He held his fist to his face with tears in his eyes.

I smiled softly. "I don't doubt it. He's just as lucky to have you, Gai-san."

 _oOo Meanwhile, in Maiko's apartment oOo_

"Upset I crashed your date?"

"I'll get you back for it, believe me," Genma promised.

They were sitting on the roof's edge of Maiko's building. Kakashi was reading his book of the week while Genma played with a senbon, watching the street below.

"Now, do you want to tell me what's up?"

Kakashi turned a page. "The sky."

"Shut up, smartass," Genma huffed, folded a leg and rested an arm on top as he glanced at his friend. "Did something happen during your mission?"

"Maybe…."

With a sigh, Genma grabbed Kakashi by the ankle and threw them both overboard. They landed on the balcony of Maiko's apartment. Kakashi showed less grace than his fellow ANBU, since he insisted on saving his book first. He glared at Genma, who simply pushed him inside, where no-one could overhear.

"Speak up. What did you find in ROOT's remote bases?"

"Many things," Kakashi replied. He quickly added when Genma threatened to hit him: "There were scrolls. Old ones. Clans' relics. Including one from the Hatake clan."

Expecting but failing to get a more thorough explanation, Genma prompted him: "And?"

"It just… reminded me of something that my father once told me and that I didn't understand at the time."

"What?" Genma asked, more gently.

" _Family is those who stay, through the hard times, the struggles and the misunderstandings. Those you can trust to stay by your side, you shouldn't let them go._ Maiko is like that. I didn't want to let her go."

"You were scared."

"What? No."

"You were," Genma insisted, smirking softly. "You're scared that you messed up and that she wouldn't want to see you now that she's dating me." When Kakashi refused stubbornly to answer and walked away, Genma chuckled. "Do you feel better now that she interrupted our date for you?"

"Maa, are you jealous?" Kakashi tried to counter.

"Jealous? No." Genma removed his senbon, stepped forward until they were standing in each other space, holding onto his friend's stare. He gently pulled on Kakashi's mask until his lips were free to be kissed by the fresh air and Genma. The contact was soft and brief. "I am the one who kissed you both today," Genma whispered, his breath brushing Kakashi's cheek. Genma pulled away and gestured toward the window he was facing. "Someone is here for you."

Kakashi shook himself, quickly put back on his mask and turned around. He sweat-dropped when Gai dropped on the balcony's railing and waved enthusiastically.

"Kakashi! Maiko-san told me where to find you!"

Genma grinned. "Oh, look: payback."

"Genma! It's good to see you! Would you like to join us for a drink?"

"It would be my pleasure," he drawled with a last wink in Kakashi's direction.

They went to an izakaya. It was one of their favorites, as such it wasn't much of a surprise when Raidou and Rin joined them a little later.

"Everything went well with Maiko?" Raidou asked Genma, while Rin was busy refereeing a contest between the two rivals.

"Well enough," Genma replied, nursing his cup of sake. "She invited me to spend the night with her as soon as I have one free." He ignored Kakashi's discreet but grateful glance. Everyone had moments of weakness. It was just in good taste to keep it for yourself when you witnessed a comrade going through a tough time.

"She looked happier too," Raidou said.

"You think?"

"Yeah. She seemed tired these last days, even this morning, but tonight she wasn't bothered when Hokage-sama asked her a last minute favor. She was smiling dreamingly when she was lost in thought. Even Naruto noticed. She tickled him when he asked if she had done a good prank."

Genma snorted but smiled in pleasure.

They left the bar sometime later, before anyone could get really drunk. Genma noticed Kakashi lagging behind, glancing around him discreetly.

Genma slowed down and asked: "Something wrong?"

"A feeling… like being watched."

"Someone is always watching," Genma commented nonchalantly, but his attentive eyes sweeping their surroundings denied his dismissive attitude.

"Rin felt this way a few times lately," Kakashi whispered, standing close of his own volition.

Genma immediately looked at their friends chatting loudly together a little further. He had noticed Raidou hovering unusually close to his girlfriend, but he had believed it to be a consequence of their growing intimacy. Silly of him. Raidou didn't hover for love, but concern however…

"I'll stay vigilant," he promised.

Kakashi hummed noncommittally.

Genma understood.

If there was a threat, it was a high-level one to escape their detection.

* * *

 _Edited by the wonderful **Sage Thrasher** (except for the last twenty lines, because she is busy). Did you see her last story, _ Sanitize _(medical OC insert during the Clans War)? Go check it out, I really like the start of it!_

 _This chapter was supposed to bring the OT3 relationship forward but what I had planned seemed too brutal. So I changed the pace and this chapter ended up more laid-back and transitional. As you can guess from those last lines though, next chapter will be more... exciting.  
_

 _Thank you for your support! I received really lovely reviews, they are much appreciated._


	16. Trouble comes in two

Two days later, I was walking down the stairs leading to the tower's lobby when Shikaku followed suit. He was walking with his hands in his pockets, the perfect picture of a lazy Nara.

"I don't know if I should thank you or curse you for the storm you unleashed in my house," he said nonchalantly.

I looked up from the files I was carrying and offered him a sheepish smile. "I would say I'm sorry but I would be lying. Yoshino deserves that job. Actually, she deserves _my_ job but I know she won't accept it, and it would cause too much political trouble if she did anyway."

Shikaku hummed in answer and stopped in the hallway.

I turned around to face him.

"She'll accept," he said, "but it will take several days for us to arrange things with the clan."

"Alright."

"In the meantime, convince Minato to create that third assistant position."

"Sir, yes Sir," I replied with a bow.

He poked me on the forehead and walked away. "And don't steal mine!"

I laughed. "How did you know that's what I had planned?"

He sighed and raised a hand to the ceiling just for show.

I chuckled and went through the administrative maze. On my way, I crossed paths with Ibiki Morino leaving a briefing room. "Morino-san. I wanted to talk you. Do you have a moment?"

"Yes," he replied simply, staring at me but staying unmoving otherwise.

"It's about one of your subordinates, Mitarashi Anko. I would appreciate if you could remind her of our policies regarding the use of summons, the handover of personal requests and the respect of private information available to the Intelligence Division."

"... Snakes, uh?" He shifted, keeping his hands in his pockets but looking somewhat more alert.

I pursed my lips in distaste. Damn him, his shrewd mind, and my phobia. "Yes."

"When?"

"Two weeks ago, and again two days ago."

"Anko left four days ago for a mission abroad. You'll need to find another culprit for that last one."

I frowned.

Anko could have planned it out in advance, but she would have needed an accomplice to get it ready. That didn't seem like her style.

I didn't like the idea that _two_ people had decided to have fun at my expense using my relatively unknown phobia. I glanced suspiciously at Ibiki.

He read it without difficulty and smirked at me, which pulled on the scar crossing his lips. "I have better things to do than play with you, no matter how tempting. It would ruffle Hatake and Shiranui's feathers anyway, wouldn't it?"

I rolled my eyes and walked away. "Thank you for your time, Morino-san."

Now I needed to find who was trying to play with my nerves. I couldn't be the Hokage's first assistant — and an opinionated one at that — without making a few enemies, but the prospect bothered me.

I was frowning when I got back to the office.

Genma peeled himself off the wall to lean over my desk and ask: "Something wrong?"

I smiled distractedly. "Nothing much. Just this snake prank from a few days ago. Apparently it wasn't Mitarashi. She's on a mission."

Genma hummed. "Whoever it was, they must have been good to avoid Raidou and Iwashi's notice. That seems a little above Anko's skill anyway."

"True. I didn't think of that." It wasn't reassuring either. Now I had a highly skilled enemy. Great.

"Hey," Genma whispered as he went around the desk to sit on it next to me. "Don't let it get to you, or they win, okay?"

"Yes, of course," I agreed. "I would just feel better if I knew who it was, that's all, but I have far more important things to worry about."

Genma nodded in approval and, since the office was empty except from his best friend, he allowed himself to lean forward, remove his senbon and reach for my chin. I gladly accepted the kiss, tilting my head for a more comfortable angle and lingering afterwards so our skin softly brushed against each other.

"Do you have the night free tonight?" I whispered.

"I do."

"Want to spend the night with me?"

"I'd love nothing more," he whispered back, his nose brushing my ear on his way to kissing my neck.

A noise came from the corridor.

He was back at his post in a flash, looking perfectly casual and composed.

I hid a smile by looking down at paperwork before I was able to face the newcomer.

oOo

This evening, I put on some music while waiting for Genma. The radio didn't offer much choice in style; it was nothing compared to the variety of musics from my past life, but I found some decent instrumental songs, their version of classics.

Genma couldn't come for dinner, but he would be there soon.

I put away the dishes I'd used for my meal and distractedly adjusted my dressing gown over my bare shoulders.

I felt a touch of trepidation and excitation as I waited for him. Not that I put too much thought on _Our First Time_ , but it was still a step forward and I was looking forward to it.

I was so deeply lost in thought that I jumped when I heard knocks at the door. I went to open it with a welcoming smile and giggled when Genma immediately came in and grabbed me by the waist as I closed the door behind him.

"Hi," he whispered against my lips.

"Hey you." I chuckled and put an arm around his shoulders, pressing myself against him. "Can I finally have you all for myself then?"

"If that's what my lady desires." He nuzzled my neck and shoulder, pushing away the dressing gown to reveal my nightshirt's strap.

"It is. Take me to bed, my knight."

"I'd like to make a quip about wasting the mood you so nicely set with that background music, but to be honest… I'm rather hungry for you, so it would be my greatest pleasure."

He lifted me and threw me over his shoulder rather than carrying me any other way. I hit him in the back while waving my feet. "Genma!"

He laughed and stroke the back of my bare legs. "Oh, sorry. Bad habits, you know."

In this world, the fireman's carry was called the shinobi's carry since it was used during missions to move wounded teammates or unconscious clients while keeping a hand free, but Genma was of course joking.

I pinched his buttocks in retaliation. "Oh, you better make up for it, you scoundrel!"

Still chuckling, he laid me down across the bed with the most tender care, in contrast to the way he had lifted me.

On his knees, he leaned over me and kissed me softly while opening my gown. "You can count on it, sweetheart. I guarantee one-hundred percent satisfaction."

Well... I admitted that I had _nothing_ to complain about afterward.

It was a _great_ night.

Then we had to be awakened at four in the morning by a knock on the window!

I instinctively pressed back against Genma's warm body as I looked for a weapon.

"Easy," Genma breathed against my neck. One of his hands gently rubbed my belly, and the other went to turn on the light. "It's for me. I'm being called in."

I relaxed but sighed as I watched him stand. "I thought that one of the advantages of being on the Hokage's guard was less impromptu missions."

"In theory," Genma agreed. "There are always exceptions."

I hummed in understanding. I didn't want to make him feel bad for doing his duty. I knew what I was signing for by dating him. I sat up and watched him dress up, admiring the lines of the muscles I had traced (and scratched) during the evening. As soon as he was done, I craned my neck in a silent request for a kiss. He gladly bent down to comply.

"Take care," I breathed against his lips.

"Always," he promised before opening the window.

I caught sight of the white mask of an ANBU waiting for him before they both disappeared. I went to close everything behind him, grabbing my nightshirt to cover my nudity and protect myself from the cool night air. The fabric caressing my skin gave me goosebumps. I grabbed the wooden blind and a shudder of a whole different kind went through the top to the bottom of my spine. I looked around into the darkness but couldn't find anything or anyone watching. Yet…

Spooked, I quickly closed everything. I went back to the bed, carefully looking around the room to check that everything was in order. It was… yet, I couldn't convince myself to turn off the light and go back to sleep.

After a few minutes of hesitation, knowing that I couldn't fall asleep as long as I felt this way, I stood up and left my room. I was bothered by a soft but constant noise that I couldn't place. As I moved toward it, trying to find its source, I realized that the radio was still on, just on low volume. I frowned. How strange, I was pretty sure that I turned it off before going to sleep earlier, on my way back from the bathroom.

I turned it off and went to prepare myself a cup of herbal tea. That was when I noticed something from the corner of my eyes. I spun around to stare at the window left uncovered in the living room.

Nothing. Only the street lights.

"Oh, for…" I huffed. "Stop scaring yourself Maiko. You aren't eight anymore, and you aren't going to freak out just because your boyfriend left you alone. You aren't that type of girl either." I was the kind of girl who talked to herself for comfort though.

Shaking my head with self-deprecation, I filled the kettle. Once I raised my head from the sink, I was startled again by a movement behind the kitchen's window. I cursed, my heart beating fiercely.

"Alright," I breathed. "Three is a pattern and not paranoia anymore."

I put down the kettle, grabbed the nearest weapon, and went to check every window, every door, and to close every shutter as quickly as possible.

I gave up on even _trying_ to sleep. Sipping on herbal tea in hope it would calm my nerves, I tried to read (I couldn't recall the few pages I pretended to go through) while I kept an hand on my tessen.

A little after dawn, as Konoha slowly started to wake, there were enough people in the streets that I could feel safe enough to leave my apartment. Clothed and armed to the teeth, I left cautiously, always looking over my shoulder, and more conscious of my surroundings that I ever remembered being. I stayed on the rooftops, where any shinobi passing by could see me and notice if I was attacked. I went straight to a nearby district and knocked at a door loudly.

I had to wait too long for my taste before a sleepy eye appeared through the partially open door. Kakashi blinked at me in surprise. I couldn't begrudge him that: while I knew from his file where he lived, I never came here, not even when we were pseudo-dating. He had always come to me, not the other way around.

"Can I come in?" I asked without waiting for a reaction.

He startled awake as soon as he noticed something was up, taking a cue from my frazzled look and nervous posture. He let me in without a word and closed the door behind me.

"What's wrong?"

I bounced on my feet and rubbed my forearms nervously. "I… Genma was… Genma was summoned tonight, at four — he was staying with me. Since he left, I saw — from the windows — I saw things… movements. I felt like I was being watched. I felt it coming here too."

I finally noticed that he was barefoot and only wearing low pants and one of his sleeveless tops attached to his masks. They were creased and hastily put on. I had woken him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up but I…"

"Hey," he murmured, stepping forward and raising a hand to cup my cheek. "It's fine. Breathe."

I did, and I wordlessly requested a hug that he gave me without complaint. He stroked my hair as I hid my face against his neck, focusing on breathing to calm myself.

"Better?" he asked after a while.

I nodded but didn't move.

"Rin and I noticed being watched the last few days too," he admitted.

I looked up. "You did? Then…" I shuddered as a thought I had tried to keep at bay finally imposed itself.

"What?"

"I thought I imagined it but… from the window, I saw a red eye… like the Sharingan, but only one." I glanced at the eye he kept closed.

"Obito?" he blurted out. "You think it's him?"

"I don't know! But… why would anyone else spy on you and Rin?"

"What about you?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. He's not supposed to be here…"

"But things changed, thanks to you," he pointed out. He stared into space as he thought it through. "If Genma has been summoned… something might have happened at the Hokage's mansion. That's too many coincidences. I'm going to dress and we'll go check."

I nibbled at my thumb as I waited for him, trying to distract myself by watching his flat. It was a studio, much smaller than my own space. He had gone to change in the bathroom, leaving his bed/couch undone. I arranged his bedding just to have something to do. Then I sat down and pressed my face in his pillow, pressing the comforting weight against my heart and breathing in his scent.

He froze when he stepped out of the bathroom and caught sight of me.

I squeezed the pillow tighter, challenging him to comment on it with a fierce stare.

He snorted and shook his head. "Come on. Let's get you back to your boyfriend."

I stood up but stubbornly kept the pillow. "I don't need my boyfriend. I need safety. That you and Genma happen to be linked to it is secondary."

"Is it?"

I threw the pillow at his face. "Yes." I went to the door. "You're absolutely right though: coming to you was a mistake, I should have gone directly to Yondaime-sama. That would have been much more effective. I don't know what I was thinking."

He threw the pillow back on the bed and caught my elbow, bending down to drawl: "Maa, I think we both know why."

I suppressed a shiver and stubbornly turned away. "Shut up. You're the one who didn't want any ties attached, Kakashi."

"I know," he said as he straightened and opened the door.

oOo

ANBU were visible around the Hokage's mansion, which was never a good sign. Kakashi traded hand signs with one before we went inside.

Familiar with the house, he led the way until we reached what I remembered to be Minato's office. He knocked on a panel and waited to be called inside before pushing open the sliding door.

Minato was sitting behind his desk. He wasn't alone. Rin was leaning on a chair; she looked shaken and like she didn't get enough sleep.

"What happened?" Kakashi asked immediately, going to his friend's side.

"I'm fine," she reassured him, "but someone slipped into my room tonight and tried to abduct me."

"You were supposed to sleep here tonight."

"I was," she confirmed grimly. "That's the only reason they didn't succeed. Sensei heard me."

If someone could intrude in the Hokage's mansion without being detected, it was extremely worrying.

"Why wasn't I alerted?" Kakashi asked, looking extremely displeased. "For that matter, why wasn't a jounin alert called?!"

"A jounin alert implies a chase. You can't chase someone who vanished into thin air," Minato replied calmly.

I inhaled sharply, my eyes going wide as the Hokage stared at me.

"It's the same man I faced the day of Naruto's birth. The man with a space-time ninjutsu you warned me about. It's Obito, isn't it?"

"It… certainly sounds like him," I replied uneasily.

Rin emitted something between a hiccup and a sob. I went to crouch beside her, squeezing her hand gently.

Kakashi stepped towards his sensei angrily and repeated: "Why wasn't I called?"

"Because you were a bait," Minato replied calmly, looking his student in the eye. "Since he had been following you around previously, we thought he might go after you next. I had ANBU watching over you, but he didn't show himself."

Kakashi looked pacified by the idea that he hadn't been snubbed. That he'd been used as bait without his knowledge didn't seem to bother him at all. I wondered if it showed his mindset as a tool of Konoha or his complete trust in his sensei… maybe both.

"No," he said, "because he went after Maiko. She felt watched after Genma was summoned."

Minato's attention rested on me. He leaned on his elbows as he thought it through.

"It doesn't make sense," I said. "If he really wanted to do something to me, he could have. Doors or windows wouldn't stop him." Oh, Sage… The radio, was it him? The thought creeped me out.

"Indeed," Minato agreed. "And since he knows his presence isn't a secret anymore, why would he waste time simply watching?"

"Why would he even do _anything_ against Konoha?!" Rin cried out. "This doesn't sound like Obito!"

"That's because he isn't the Obito you knew," I reminded her. "I'm sorry. I know it's difficult for all of you, but you have to remember: he _changed_ , and not for the better."

My only answer was silence. While they didn't exactly deny it, they were far from accepting it.

"Whatever his objective is, we have to consider that we are all potential targets," Minato said. "We can't stop working because of a threat, but you'll follow the Kidnapping Prevention Procedure for S-rank assets."

Rin and Kakashi both stepped forward to receive something from their sensei. I followed and held out a hand. A small capsule, like one you could use for medicine, was dropped in my palm. I glanced at my friends to see them swallow it without hesitation. I raised an eyebrow toward Minato.

"It will allow me to track you down for more or less a day. I'll give you another tomorrow."

Understanding dawned on me. "Oh. There is one of your seals in this?" It must be so small… That it could be drawn at all was impressive. With a shrug, I swallowed it too. If it was Minato's work, I probably didn't need to worry that my intestines would be blown up by a faulty seal or an impromptu teleportation. Probably not… I hoped… Damn, now I was regretting swallowing it.

"Two ANBU will follow you constantly. Don't try to lose them or distract them," the Hokage ordered sternly, glancing at Kakashi in particular.

I followed his look and raised an eyebrow.

Kakashi shrugged. "Maa, it was good training."

I snorted before bowing in front of the Yondaime. "At your command, Hokage-sama."

I wasn't looking forward to working with a sword of Damocles over my head, but we weren't going to hide and stop living because of a _risk_. We were better than that. We were shinobi. Risk was part of our lives.

oOo

The day progressed more or less as usual. The lack of sleep didn't help my tolerance to the daily bullshit I had to put up with, but I managed.

A little after lunch, Genma stopped by. He was wearing a black jacket over the ANBU's black under-armour, thus hiding his tattoo.

"I'm on break," he told me. "I have just enough time for checking on you and getting a nap. Kakashi told me what happened after I left. Are you alright?"

I nodded and smiled. "Sure. I'm fine, nothing happened."

He watched me closely. "You should take a break too," he concluded before catching my hand and pulling me on my feet, leading me toward an empty meeting room.

"Really Genma, I'm fine," I insisted.

The last word had barely left my lips before Genma cupped my face between his hands and kissed me. It was intense, hot and hurried. I had no other choice than to be entirely focused on this sole contact or be swept off by the wave of his passion. He was holding me tightly with an arm around my waist, and I arched my back as I hold on tightly to his jacket.

When he relented, leaving us both breathless, I watched him, dazed. "What was that?"

"Something to keep us both in a much better mood for the rest of day," he replied with a cheeky smirk.

I laughed. I couldn't do anything else for truly I had one hell of a boyfriend. I didn't think I could ever get bored with him. I threw my arms around his neck and snuggled against him.

He kissed my temple and squeezed me gently. "I spent part of the night looking after a ghost harassing Rin, and then I learned he was after you while I had my back turned. I was pissed… and worried."

"Yeah, I didn't sleep after you left," I admitted. I had meant to keep that detail for myself, but I always had difficulties hiding things from people I loved. "Aside from that, I'm fine," I insisted. I rubbed my cheek against his and chuckled when I felt soft stubble.

"What?" he asked softly.

"Nothing. I was just imagining you with a beard."

He scratched his chin and huffed. "Not my style I think."

"Probably not. Not everyone can pull it off."

"Wait… Is that a challenge? I can do it just as well as Asuma!"

I burst into laughter and withdrew to muffle my guffaws.

"His stubble is just like mine!"

I laughed louder when I realised my mistake.

"Come on," he protested, grabbing me back by the waist and nuzzling my neck. His stubble tickled.

"Sorry, sorry," I managed to say. "I forgot that he doesn't have his beard yet. He had a really great one in the book. It made him look quite rugged, in an handsome way."

He frowned. "That's a challenge if I ever heard one. I can be ruggedly handsome."

I chuckled and patted his cheek. "I'm sure you can. Just give it a few years."

"I'm gonna pull off the best beard ever," he stated very seriously.

Chuckling, I kissed him. The butterfly brush slowly deepened in a much slower and tender kiss than the previous one. He stepped back to sit on the table and brought me forward between his legs. I bent down to curl around him, our foreheads touching.

"I love you."

We blinked, moved back and stared at each other. We burst into laughter and I let my head fall on his shoulder as the chuckles shook us.

Somehow, we had managed to say it together.

oOo

In the middle of the afternoon, the Yondaime stepped out of his office and told me: "I'm going to the meeting with the Hyuuga. It will probably take the rest of the afternoon. I was hoping we could meet for dinner at my house with Rin and Kakashi afterward? You're welcome to stay the night."

"It would be an honor, Hokage-sama," I replied respectfully, fully aware that he just wanted to have everyone in the same place tonight. It might be nice, though, to spend an evening with those three… as long as I didn't feel like the fifth wheel.

He nodded and took his leave, his guards trailing behind him.

A dozen minutes later, a tall teenager from the Genin Corps stopped in front of my desk.

"Kamizuki-san, the Jounin Commander requests your presence."

I stood up and organized my desk for my departure by shutting away a few sensitive things in secure drawers. "Let's not keep him waiting then."

I followed the genin down the stairs. When we reached the floor for Shikaku's office, he stopped me from going the way I knew by heart, saying: "He is in the basement."

"Alright."

Only the old and dusty archives were kept in the basement. I wondered what Shikaku was looking for there. Was he still working on Danzou and ROOT's doings?

The rooms underground were even more of a maze than those above (at least then you had windows to find your bearings). We went through several rooms connected together without any hallway. I frowned, surprised that I wasn't familiar with those rooms at all. They weren't the archives.

A loud sound behind me startled me and I spun around to find the door closed shut. I heard the impacts of a fist hitting it repeatedly a second later. My ANBU bodyguards.

Wide-eyed, a shiver of fear going through me as I understood, I spun back toward the genin. I was reaching for my tessen but didn't manage to grasp them.

I was propelled back against a wall. The hand clenched around my neck stole my breath, holding me up, the tips of my feet barely touching the ground.

If I wasn't already afraid, the sinister laughter that came from the deformed face staring at me certainly finished to terrify me. The henge was slipping away, leaving behind a pallid face and yellow slitted eyes.

"We finally meet, Kamizuki Maiko," Orochimaru said, smirking. "Danzou mentioned how troublesome you could be, but to think that you led to his downfall… What a strange little mouse you seem to be. I think..." He stepped closer, until I could feel his breath. "Yes, I think we should get acquainted, don't you? After all, I heard the most fascinating rumors about your birth…"

A mix between a squeak and a whine escaped me. This was my worst nightmare happening. Ending up being experimented on had haunted me during all my childhood. Now that I had the Hokage's protection and that Danzou was dead, I thought I was safe!

How? How could this happen?! I thought Obito was after me, not him!

Oh.

Oh, Sage…

I forgot. I completely forgot…

Orochimaru was with Akatsuki. He was a member of the organisation until Itachi joined it! And Akatsuki members worked in pairs.

Obito and him, they…

A spiraling void appeared in the corner of my eye.

They were working together.

I supposed this was it, then…

My future: pain and death.

Orochimaru let me go suddenly. I fell on my knees as I tried to catch my breath and relieve the pain crushing my throat.

"Namikaze?" I heard him ask the newcomer.

"Protecting his favorite, but he won't be fooled for long. Let's go." The man stepped forward and crouched down next to me. He grabbed my chin and forced me to look into his orange swirling mask. "Kamizuki Maiko. I know you're the one who corrupted Rin. You'll pay." He let me go roughly with a noise of disgust.

I could hear the ANBU trying to smash open the door (I didn't know what Orochimaru had done to it but it was clearly reinforce to stop elite shinobi so long). I knew I didn't have much time. I didn't think. I screamed as loudly as possible: "OROCHIMARU AND TOBI—"

Pain radiated from the side of my head and the world turned black.

oOo An Hour Later oOo

"SHIT, shit, shitshitshit."

Since the announcement of Maiko's abduction, Raidou was keeping a watchful eye on his best friend.

Genma was currently pacing in the ANBU meeting room like a beast in cage. He had already managed to bend three senbons and split his lip once. If the Yondaime didn't arrive soon, Raidou wouldn't put it past Genma to start taking it out on the walls.

The ANBU in attendance were giving him a wide berth, especially those who had been tasked with Maiko's protection: they were literally hiding behind their friends, trying to blend with the wall. No-one dared say a word since Genma snarled at the last one who tried.

Consequently, the room's mood was extremely tense, and the Hokage's arrival didn't happen a moment too soon. The elite shinobi straightened and relaxed in the same breath.

Genma stopped pacing and stared at the Yondaime like he was defying him to say something he didn't like.

Damn, his best friend really was in love, Raidou realized with a sigh. He had never seen him so invested.

Minato looked carefully blank, the kind of impassiveness that told those who knew him well that he was not pleased and even quite upset. Kakashi, standing by his side, had the laidback air that his colleagues knew to hide a killer ready to pounce. Maiko's bodyguards made themselves even more discreet if it was possible.

"You are all aware of the situation. Our enemies allied to make a diversion while abducting a S-class asset of Konoha. While we do not know if that is their only goal, Kamizuki Maiko can't be left in their clutches. She is to be retrieved immediately. Fortunately, Orochimaru doesn't know that I have a tracer on her. She has been transported to a place in Rice Country and wasn't moved since. You are all to leave immediately, find her and bring her back at all costs."

There were a few seconds of silence during which no-one dared ask what they all wondered.

Minato sighed and answered the silent question: "The S-class asset retrieval procedure applies. If she can't be brought back alive… her death is preferable to her continued captivity."

Raidou winced as Genma punched the wall, but he was grateful that his friend was professional enough that he didn't scream, protest or try to bargain with the Hokage. No-one wanted to be left alive as a prisoner of Orochimaru anyway. Death was a kinder fate.

"Kakashi and Raidou will lead the teams. Jiraiya-sensei will join you on site. Summon me if necessary. Genma, you are staying with me."

This time, Genma went to protest.

Minato raised a hand preemptively. "My decision is final. I need you here: an attack on Konoha is not out of the question, and you would be a liability to your teammates. You stay. Don't make me tell Maiko you behaved unprofessionally when she will be back."

"That's low," Genma muttered before slouching in a chair, his arms crossed and his lips pursed. He stared at Kakashi and then Raidou, conveying silently to "bring her back or else".

They both nodded before leading their teams out of the room.

Raidou glanced at the dressing around Kakashi's hands, guessing that some others were hiding under his clothes. "Will you be alright?"

"Yeah. It's only scratches. Ob—Tobi was more interested in playing cat and mouse rather than doing any real damage."

Thanks to his relation with Rin, Raidou was one of the few people knowing who was really Tobi. He didn't like it _at all_ , considering the harm it did to his girlfriend. "Did he say anything to you?"

"Insults and jibes, mostly."

"I'm sorry," Raidou whispered.

"Don't be. Insults were the way we communicated even before... And it made it easier. Maiko was right. He isn't the one I knew. He is twisted. He talked like Rin _belong_ to him."

Raidou made a sound of disgust. "How is she taking it?"

"Considering that she punched him? Pretty well."

"She did?!" Raidou cried out.

"The only one of us who managed to lay a hand on him. He underestimated her."

Raidou smirked. "Big mistake."

"Yep. She was pissed. She ordered me to bring back Maiko and fast, so…" He clapped his hands together and turned toward his team. "Let's get moving people! Leaving Konoha in two!"

* * *

 _Many of you had correctly deduced that Obito would show up, but who guessed that Orochimaru would join the party? =)_

 _Don't worry, the next chapter is nearly done. Hopefully, if things go my way and the wonderful Sage Thrasher has the time to edit it, you should have it much sooner than this one (I don't give a deadline or I'll jinx myself)!_


	17. The Ghost

The world looked like a dream. Fuzzy, constantly changing, and timeless.

What should have looked like an oppressive underground room with cold stone walls became an aquarium filled with clouds and filaments of light. I could swim freely in it, drifting mindlessly. When I passed through the lights, it tickled and I felt a little giddy, a little stronger.

I wasn't alone in the aquarium. There was a big predator that I stayed away from. It looked like a jellyfish, translucent enough to let me see the light inside, but I couldn't touch it. I was a little worried it would sting. It never seemed to see me anyway. I ignored it and it did the same. Good enough for me.

The predator was moving around other bodies of light that looked like corals — they rarely moved and their light was dimming, like the water was polluted, toxic for them. Poor things. Some of them ended up as corpses pretty quickly.

Well… quickly is relative. Time here is relative, I'm pretty sure. I certainly didn't make any sense of it.

I was peacefully swimming, feeling a bit weaker now that I had absorbed all the surrounding light, when a bunch of sharks jumped in the aquarium and made a mess of things.

The predators fought each other, releasing a lot of light clouds while they were at it. I steered away from them but basked in the clouds as soon as they were darting away. As usual, none of them seemed to be aware of me. Nonetheless, I stayed away from the two Megalodon who seemed to be the main fighters.

I gorged on the light and felt better. This world was certainly strange, but I didn't need to worry about anything as long as I had light. Good enough for me.

I was drifting again when another Megalodon suddenly appeared, and two of them started to _absorb_ the light. It came from the walls all around. I had been limited to what was present, but they _called_ the light to them. They absorbed it like sponges and became so bright that I fled away in fright.

I wasn't the only one to flee. Several of the smaller sharks left the aquarium. I followed them along paths I hadn't noticed until then. One of the sharks with characteristic white light was carrying a piece of coral. It wasn't in good shape. However, being in the shark's presence didn't make it worse, which was a first in my experience of the aquarium's creatures. I decided to follow him. It felt instinctive and easy.

To my wonder, the tube led us to an ocean. There weren't any walls, just the sky above and the earth under. And there was so much light _everywhere_! Amazing. I chased clouds and filaments of light around, so thoroughly distracted by this new environment that I forgot all about the boring predators.

Then there was a weird feeling of displacement, and the woods surrounding me were replaced by a new aquarium, a better one maybe but still an aquarium. Disappointed and frustrated, I lost interest in everything and drifted.

I drifted for a long time (I thought? Who knew? Who _cared_? Not me) before the displacement happened again. I shook myself (or what felt like it when you had no body) and looked around, hoping for the forest. It was a new aquarium, again, but this one had an open wall leading to…

Oh. Oh!

Konoha. I was back in Konoha.

As I found the familiar landmarks reminding me of home, slowly the world adjusted itself around me. It was like when you watched a rock and realized it looked like an animal, then it was the only thing you could see. It made sense, and you couldn't figure how you didn't see it before.

The aquarium was a room in Konoha. The sharks/jellyfishes filled with light were shinobi and I… Maiko was the coral resting on a bed in the middle of the room. _I_ was a ghost, or at least a spirit separated from its body.

…

 _What the fuck did Orochimaru do to me ?!_

oOo

Between reincarnation and out-of-body experience, I was getting several points for 'The Weirdest Human' title (although, in this world, I had a lot of competition).

Despite my new awareness of the world, I still had some difficulty measuring the passage of time. I wondered since when I had been kidnapped and consequently since when I was in a coma.

Orochimaru had done something to me to put me in this situation, obviously. What had he done? I couldn't recall. I didn't remember anything past my abduction (which didn't trouble me much, I was quite alright with forgetting torture and medical experimentations, thank you very much; I considered it a blessing).

A dozen people came to see me more or less regularly, which led me to think that it had been at least several days, if not more, since I was in a public room at Konoha's hospital.

I recognized the white chakra guy who had carried me out of Orochimaru's hideout. It was Kakashi. He came back once to see me then disappeared for a while. Probably gone on a mission.

Oh, I hoped that everyone was alright, that Obito didn't bother them anymore and, with a little (a lot of) luck, that they killed Orochimaru! That would be great news for when I woke up… if I woke up.

I tried talking to those who came in. None of them heard me. I continued to greet them mechanically out of principle, but I didn't really listen. Listening took effort, like we weren't on the same plane of existence, and I had to prick up my ears to hear anything. It was exhausting and rather depressing. The last time I tried, I heard my mother crying. I couldn't even remember the last time my mother had cried…

No, I felt better just… waiting.

It wasn't like I got bored. I drifted when there was no-one to pay attention to.

It was easy and peaceful.

Sometimes, I left my room and looked around the hallways, but the hospital didn't feel so great. It was filled with corals… I mean, sick and dying people.

I was doing exactly that, drifting around, when someone stopped in front of me and, wonder of all wonders, stared right at me. Startled by this event, I focused on the jellyfish filled with light until the world adjusted itself to a more human vision. I recognized the kid — because it _was_ one, it was small like a fish — as a Hyuuga.

"Ooh, Hyuuga can see chakra. I'm probably a construct of chakra. Can you see me? Hi!" I waved.

He startled and took a step back.

I drifted lower on the ground and waved more gently. "It looks like you do. Hi kiddo. Didn't mean to scare you, sorry. I won't eat you, promise. I am a nice ghost."

The boy reached out toward me. I let him touch me, wondering what would happen. Nothing. At least, not for me. I didn't feel him at all, like I didn't feel anything when people went through me. I had started to stay near the ceiling out of principle, but I was truly an intangible ghost.

After a while, the kid lost interest and walked away.

"Oh, no, don't go! You are the most interesting being around," I whined, following him.

With his Byakugan activated, he noticed. He stopped and tried to wave me away.

"Nope," I denied. I would be pouting if I could.

Later on, I might feel a little ashamed for stalking a young kid but, in my defense, I wasn't exactly in full possession of my faculties at the time. You didn't reason the same way when your soul was mostly detached from your body, it seemed (which led to worrying considerations on what staying that way would have done to me on the long term).

I followed him home (yes, really, shame on me, I know). He tried to mention it to an adult, but they dismissed his worry rather shortly. I was actually offended on his behalf and thought clearly: "Rude!"

"They're always like that."

I looked down at the boy. With his long hair and soft face he was rather pretty. I had focused on listening to their conversation, and I was surprised to hear the kid talk to me directly. "You understand me?"

"I'm sorry. I don't understand. I am still learning to read."

Somehow, my shape changed to form hiragana when I tried to communicate. No matter how bewildering the concept, I took advantage of it. Now that I could answer (some of, language barrier obliged) his questions, the boy warmed up to me and introduced himself: Neji. I was talking to the little genius of the Hyuuga clan!

I learned that his father (I remembered that I had saved him by stepping in the Hyuuga abduction incident) was on a mission. When this was the case, he was mostly left to his own devices (unacceptable! He was five for Sage's sake!). Outraged, I decided to stick with him to ensure that a responsible being watched over him.

While Neji pretended he didn't need my advice, he obediently followed my instructions when I showed him new stretching exercises to try.

With a goal in mind, I learned to control my shape. I could now form a human figure, which wasn't precise enough to have features but good enough to show how to throw a wooden shuriken.

Time passed even more quickly and unaccounted for as I focused on Neji's wellbeing, completely forgetting everything else. As a ghost, I just didn't have the ability to worry or care for more than one thing at a time.

Neji could walk around the village freely, although he rarely did. He was a loner, only talking to the adults who made sure he had something to eat and clean clothes to wear, or who teached him how to use his Byakugan and how to punch air.

I didn't approve.

"Friends," I repeated regularly.

"I don't have any. I don't need any," he repeated.

"Park. Go. Play. Fun. Friends!" I insisted. I was a really pushy ghost.

"No." He was a stubborn kid.

"Friends. Good. Fun. Good. Go. Park. GO. GO!" You couldn't beat the pushiness of a being who couldn't get bored or get tired. I won.

"I'm going once! Once and then you let it go!"

"Once. But. You. Play."

I stayed close when he walked into the park. I was determined to make it fun for him, although he was scowling. I focused more intently than I did in a while to take note of everyone and everything going around. That's how I managed to notice Shikamaru, although he was laying down in the grass.

I drifted toward my little teddy bear and hovered above him. With great concentration, I managed to write "play" with an arrow pointing at Shika, like he was a quest point in a video game and Neji needed to come here and press "interact".

Neji scowled a little more, crossed his arms, and didn't move. He didn't answer of course; he was smart enough not to speak to empty air in a public place.

"You. And. He. Smart. Play!"

Neji wavered but quickly covered his temptation by looking at the kids playing in the sandbox. It finally occurred to me that, isolated as he was, Neji probably didn't know how or what to play with children. That was an issue. I couldn't communicate well enough to suggest a game and explain its rules.

The solution arrived in the shape of a round boy with sandy hair and a bag of chips in hand.

"Do you want to play hanafuda, Shika?" Chouji asked his friend.

Shikamaru stirred and opened an eye, but he didn't look enthused. Strange. He was generally accommodating for Chouji. Maybe he had trouble sleeping?

I changed my target, pointing now at Chouji while I insisted: "Play!"

As I thought, hanafuda being a traditional game (and a quiet one, as such being acceptable even for Hyuuga), Neji was familiar with it and took the opportunity. He stepped forward. "May I play?"

Chouji, bless his heart, grinned at Neji and nodded enthusiastically. "Sure! I am Akamichi Chouji."

"Hyuuga Neji."

Shikamaru stared at the newcomer but didn't introduce himself. Chouji had to do it for him. "It's the first time I've see you here."

"Someone insisted I should come and play," Neji replied as he accepted the cards Chouji handed out.

"Someone?"

"A ghost," Neji grumbled. "An annoying one who decided to haunt me lately."

It was probably meant to be a jab at me and a test of his new friends.

Chouji froze and looked a little wide-eyed. "A ghost?"

"Why is it haunting you?" Shikamaru asked, looking unconcerned, like he was humoring the new kid. However, he was staring at Neji's eyes.

"It's bored. I can only see it with the Byakugan. That's why I have it on, if you're wondering."

"So all the Hyuugas can see it?"

"They should, but they don't pay attention."

"Mh…" Shikamaru dismissed the subject and turned around to nap.

"Does… does it do anything mean to you?" Chouji asked warily.

"No, it's just pestering me about eating, being careful, playing with others, telling me to stop training too much and have some fun…"

"It sounds like a mom."

"I think it's a girl. It does this thing where it wraps itself around me when it thinks I'm sad."

"Like a hug?"

"I think so."

"That sounds silly," Shikamaru suddenly piped up.

"RUDE!" I shouted, waking up from the doze I had fallen in while I listened to them. "Tell. Little. Teddy Bear. Bad!"

"She says you're rude. And… I think she's calling you a little teddy bear?"

Shikamaru suddenly sat up. "What?"

"I probably didn't get those hiragana right. Or maybe it has another signification, like an insult?"

"What's her name?"

"What?"

"The ghost! What's her name?!"

"I don't know."

I offered my name, but Neji didn't understand it.

Shikamaru stood up and grabbed Neji by the wrist. "Come."

"Shika, what's wrong?" Chouji asked as he grabbed the cards and followed them.

My little teddy bear went to a teenager nearby, a Nara, probably his babysitter. He made Neji draw the name I had shown him and watched the girl expectantly: "It's a name. Which one?"

"It means Maiko. Why? Is this about the Hokage's assistant?"

Shikamaru looked uncharacteristically determined. That didn't escape his babysitter's notice.

"Oh no, uhuh. Whatever you're thinking about, I'm not doing it. You'll just have to talk to your parents about it tonight."

"Neji won't be here to explain tonight," Shikamaru said.

"Well… You know who might want to help you and be able to do it?" She pointed with her chin toward a teenager and a child standing together a little further. "I heard Uchiha Itachi was friend with this Maiko."

There was nothing scarier than a motivated Nara. That's one of the little sayings everyone knew about clans, but I had never seen it embodied before. Shikamaru was a genius on a warpath and nothing — not Neji's protests, Chouji's questions, Sasuke's hostility or Itachi's bafflement — stopped him from catching the feared and respected Uchiha heir and telling him that there was a ghost of their acquaintance right here with them.

Sasuke snorted and dismissed it immediately. "That's ridiculous."

Itachi was more curious. "The Byakugan can see her, you say?" He activated his Sharingan and looked around carefully.

"Well?" Sasuke said, crossing his arms impatiently. Clearly, this was encroaching on his ' _aniki time_ '.

"I can't see anything, but it doesn't mean much," Itachi replied patiently. "The Byakugan can see chakra better than the Sharingan does. If anyone can see... supernatural beings, it's them. What does this… ghost look like?" He asked Neji.

"Like a cloud, most of the time. When she wants to say something, she forms hiragana, and when she shows me how to stretch, she takes a human shape, but a blurry one," Neji explained reluctantly. Only his respect for a renown shinobi of talent stopped him from clamming up. He didn't like to admit that he was seeing things that no-one else did (or admitted to, anyway).

"What does she do right now?"

"... She's wrapped around you, like she's giving you a hug. She does that to me sometimes, when I'm sad. I don't know why she's doing it now."

Itachi stiffened.

Shikamaru looked triumphant, with his arms crossed in victory. "She does it to you too, uh?"

"She does," Itachi admitted.

"What? Giving you hugs?" Sasuke asked, baffled. "You don't like hugs."

"I… do not dislike hugs in certain conditions," Itachi replied stiffly. "Let's test your theory by asking her questions. What is her favorite weapon?"

I took the shape of a fan to make it easier for Neji. I doubted he knew the hiragana for tessen.

"And what is her biggest fear?" Itachi asked once Neji had replied.

I became a serpentine shape moving on the ground. It must have been quite realistic because Neji stepped away from me.

"Alright," Itachi sighed. "It checks out."

"So… there really is a ghost? And it's your friend?" Sasuke asked, wide-eyed.

"It seems so."

"What should we do?" Chouji murmured, clutching a bag of snacks against his chest (he had been nervously munching for a while; he was probably a stress eater and certainly not a fan of ghost stories).

"We have to inform Hokage-sama so he can verify this information and react in consequence." Itachi waved toward the Hokage tower. "Please follow me. Nara-san, if you don't mind."

The babysitter of Shikamaru and Chouji moved from the bench where she had been intently listening to the conversation and followed along as they went through the streets of Konoha. "Did you ever heard of such an occurrence, Uchiha-san?"

"I do believe that there are some traditional stories mentioning that the Byakugan allows to see ghosts or supernatural beings, but they are considered legends."

"Every legend has a grain of truth, I guess."

"Indeed."

"Who is she?" Sasuke whispered not too quietly to Shikamaru as they walked behind the two pre-teens.

"My cousin, Kojika."

"I don't like her."

"She isn't going to steal your brother," Shikamaru muttered in reply. Now that Itachi was leading the investi gation, his laziness was back in full force. He was yawning, slouching, and burying his hands in his pockets, like the mere effort he had produced earlier had emptied his energy.

Offended to have been exposed so easily, Sasuke huffed and sped up to go walk by his brother's side.

Kojika wisely ignored the glare he sent her. Itachi did the same, and no-one mentioned that the two might both be genin but they had three years of difference and a whole lot of other priorities than each other.

"If your mother asks, I'm throwing you under the wheels," Kojika murmured to her cousin. "This is your idea. I'm not taking responsibility."

"Yeah, yeah," Shikamaru grumbled, scratching his cheek. "Troublesome woman."

"Maiko-san says you're being rude again," Neji helpfully informed. He seemed to have accept readily enough the alleged identity of the chakra construct he was talking to, probably because it sounded better than being haunted by an imaginary ghost.

Shikamaru sighed and slouched a little more. "Such a drag."

"She says she loves you too."

"I like her," Chouji helpfully piped up. "She sounded nice when you described her, but you didn't say she said such nice things too. I hope she'll feel better soon so I can meet her."

"She's giving you a hug," Neji informed him with a touch of exasperation. My tendency to hug everyone for whatever reason didn't impress him much.

"Oh, that's nice. I like hugs. I wish I could feel it."

"I don't see why," Neji grumbled. Too bad that I couldn't point out that he never tried to move away when I hugged him before. Oh. Maybe he'd never _felt_ a hug? Oh, that was a sad thought. I needed to get my body back, just to give him a real hug!

We arrived to the Hokage's office and were met by the suspicious stare of Yoshino.

Oh! The poor Yoshino probably had to replace me with no prior warning! I hadn't thought of that. Damn! I wished I could apologize. She certainly seemed tired. I'd have to buy her flowers, and a fruit basket, and chocolates, and… whatever I could think of, as soon as I got back to work!

"Yoshino-san, could we talk to Hokage-sama, please? It's about Maiko-san," Itachi explained politely.

"Maiko? What could all of you have to say about her?" She asked, frowning as she noticed Neji, who seemed a little out of place with the others (although any children asking to see the Hokage would be odd).

"It's a long story, mom," Shikamaru sighed. "It's not a joke, I swear."

She hesitated but Itachi's presence, more than anything else, convinced her this was serious enough. "Alright. The Hokage doesn't have any meetings right now, but I'm coming with you, and if you're all wasting his time, you'll be hearing about it, I warn you," she said, staring especially at her son, who slouched a little more and grumbled under his breath what sounded suspiciously like a "troublesome".

She led the way inside, under the curious glances of Raidou and Iwashi. "Hokage-sama, these children would like to speak with you about Maiko-san."

Minato looked up from a mountain of paperwork. He seemed tired, too. A lesser man would have dismissed the strange group entering his office, but he smiled, welcomed them and listened. During Itachi, Shikamaru and Neji's explanation, he stayed quiet, even stopping Yoshino from interrupting to express her scepticism.

"I believe this should be verified, Hokage-sama," Itachi concluded. "Maybe an experienced Hyuuga could help."

Minato hummed. "It needs to be verified indeed but, if at all possible, I prefer that this stay between us... Allow me a few moments." He sat still, his hands in position for molding chakra, and his eyes closed.

"What is he doing?" Sasuke whispered very quietly to his brother. Itachi replied with a finger to his lips under the stern stare of Yoshino, guardian of the Hokage's meditation.

Even if I hadn't guessed, I could feel and see it: Minato was absorbing natural energy slowly but steadily. This was what I had felt during the fight at Orochimaru's hideout. It had scared me, not without reason. To my eyes, Minato was starting to glow like a star. He was filled with senjutsu chakra and soon entered the Sage Mode recognizable by the orange pigmentation around his eyes.

The children inhaled sharply and stared wide-eyed at their Hokage when he finally opened his eyes shaped like a frog. Even Itachi lost some of his composure.

Unaware of their awe, Minato looked around slowly. I didn't have to wait long for his attention to fall on me. I knew he could see me when his eyebrows raised in surprise. I waved.

"Oh," he breathed, before slowly smiling. "Hello Maiko."

"Hi!" I replied with hiragana.

"Yoshino, could you please take the children outside for a moment?" he asked, turning toward his assistant without looking away from me, as if he was afraid that I would disappear if left out of his sight.

"Of course, Hokage-sama," Yoshino replied, mostly out of reflex, I bet, because she looked quite flummoxed. She herded the kids out of the office and closed the door behind her.

"This is a surprise. You have been in a coma for three weeks now," Minato told me. "The medics were quite puzzled by your cerebral activity. They believed the worst… We feared the worst." He stood up slowly.

Not knowing what to say, I formed a tentative: "Sorry?"

"How are you feeling?"

"Fuzzy."

"Well, I suppose this state might be… a different experience.

"Yes."

"Are you in pain or discomfort of any kind?"

"No. Just feel weird."

"I imagine. I sent Kakashi to find and bring back Tsunade-hime. They shouldn't be much longer and hopefully she'll know how to help you."

"How do you bring her back?"

Minato rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I promised to pay her debts."

Of course. Money… I couldn't be bothered to care much, though. There were more important details like… "Orochimaru?"

"Injured, but he managed to flee with some outside help. Before you ask, Obito appeared to distract us while Orochimaru abducted you. We haven't seen him since Rin punched him."

"Go Rin!"

Minato chuckled and leaned against his desk. "Yes, she didn't approve of some of his comments."

It was becoming difficult to focus on Minato's words. They sometimes became a little indistinct.

"Maiko? Why are you becoming… cloudy?"

"Can't focus. Tired. It happens by periods."

"I see." Considering the face he made, he didn't. "Will I be able to talk to you later?"

"Yes. I'm going to stay with you. Neji is tired of me."

"Very well then. My Sage Mode is coming to its end anyway. I'll try again later."

The world lost its edges. Minato lost his frog eyes.

I could still see him (or jellyfish-him) open the door and talk to Yoshino and the kids, but I couldn't hear him. I noticed that Neji was lying across several chairs and seemed asleep. He was probably tired after using his Byakugan so much to keep in contact with me. He was still so young, and yet he rarely ignored me… Loneliness or consideration? Maybe both.

oOo

Even when I was in a drifting state where I didn't focus on the world around me, Minato's gathering of natural energy was obvious enough. It was also a sure sign that he wanted to talk.

Focusing was like opening your eyes after a nap, it included some resistance, as if you were yawning and your eyes closed as you did.

However, as soon as I managed it, nothing would distract me from the people I was surrounded with: Genma, Kakashi and Rin were all there!

Minato chuckled. At the questioning glances he received, he explained: "Maiko is curled up around you, Genma. I have been told this is how she gives hugs in this state."

Genma's face did a complex thing. For a moment, I thought he was going to cry before he cleared his throat and asked with a husky voice: "So, she's really fine?"

"Can you be fine when you're separated from your body?" Kakashi asked. He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, not far from Genma.

"It's still better than the alternative, right? Her… mind is still whole. We just have to…" Genma gestured helplessly.

"Put it back in her body?" Kakashi provided helpfully.

"Yeah."

The door opened loudly. Senju Tsunade stepped through, followed by her apprentice Shizune. That was when I realized we were in the hospital and more specifically in my room. That was my body in the bed. I hadn't even noticed. Lately, I followed Minato as I drifted but didn't really care otherwise. Following the Hokage wasn't anything new and exciting for me. I didn't even know how much time had passed since I left Neji.

"So?" Tsunade asked Minato.

"She's listening. She's wrapped around Genma."

Tsunade glanced toward me and squinted as if she was trying to notice something different near Genma. She didn't find anything and waved a hand around. "Alright, here is the deal: most of the time, you — your body — appear to be brain dead, except from some occasions..." (Shizune pulled on her sleeve and pointed at a glowing seal stuck to my body's forehead) "Considering it's happening right now, I'd guess it corresponds to you trying to listen. Good to know."

"This is Orochimaru's doing, but we don't know what he did," Rin explained. "Do you remember anything from… then?"

"No," I replied, "and I don't want to."

Tsunade scowled at Minato's interpretation. "Look, kiddo, for some reason you're important enough that I was dragged back here for you, but I don't intend to stay one day more than necessary so get a grip."

Minato cleared his throat before saying for me: "If you're too scared to face your fears, why should I?"

Tsunade flushed, and everyone carefully stepped away from her. "It's not my life at stake!"

"Isn't it? I wouldn't exactly call what you do living. Surviving would be more appropriate."

Minato abruptly stopped speaking and winced. "Maiko, I don't think this is helping…"

"Oh no, go on Minato," Tsunade said, obviously seething. "I would love to hear what the kid has to say."

What I was going to say was: "I might be the one without a body here, a ghost, but you're a shell of yourself and that's not much better." However, I recognized that probably wasn't wise once Minato pointed it out. This state interfered with my usual tact. It's like I just didn't care about the consequences…

"Let's make a deal," I offered.

"I'm listening," Tsunade grumbled.

"Spend a whole day with Naruto, and I'll try to remember."

"Naruto? The kid? Why?"

"He gives people strength."

"This doesn't make any sense, and I don't see why I should do anything for you when you are the one needing my help!"

"Because you need money."

"Girl, you're lucky you're currently intangible," Tsunade growled, clenching her fist. "Fine! You can haunt this damn place for as long as you wish for all I care!" She stormed out of the room with her apprentice on her heels.

"Maiko," Minato sighed. "Was it really necessary? I know you said that Naruto once convinced her to stay in Konoha and become the Godaime, but he's only three and the circumstances are different."

"Worth a try."

Minato tilted his head in thought. "If I tell Naruto she needs to stay to help you, he might kick up enough of a fuss to convince her. He's quite upset by your state."

"You're worse than me."

"Well, it's for the good of Konoha," he replied with a mischievous smile. "Do you want to say something to your friends before I go?"

"To Rin: congrats on punching Tobi. I'm proud. To Kakashi: thanks for pulling me away of that awful aquarium and getting Tsunade for me. To Genma: the last thing I told him still stands. "

Rin chuckled. Kakashi nodded. Genma signed "same" as his jaw clenched around his senbon.

Minato left, soon imitated by Rin after she checked my IV line.

I started drifting.

I didn't even realize that I hadn't followed the Hokage like I used to lately, not until Kakashi and Genma started talking together like I wasn't there, because they actually thought I had left.

They were standing quite close together.

Kakashi put a hand on Genma's nape, his thumb stroking the soft skin under the jaw.

I was too curious to resist. I focused just enough to eavesdrop.

"Tsunade and Rin will bring her back," Kakashi was saying.

"Yeah," Genma replied in a breath. "Shit, Kakashi. Remember when I used to tease the guys anxious about their girlfriends? Look at me now: a wreck in the same fucking position."

Throwing an arm around Genma's shoulders, Kakashi pulled him close, squeezing gently. "So next time you see them, buy them a drink. In the meantime… I do remember what you used to say... Wasn't it 'do you need someone to kiss it better'?"

"What? No that was when the guys were—"

I'm pretty sure I formed a perfect round shape like a "Oh!" as I watched Kakashi kiss Genma in a surprise attack.

Genma punched Kakashi's shoulder as he drew back, but he was smiling.

"Feeling better?" Kakashi teased as he adjusted his mask.

"I do, asshole."

Oh. Oooh.

It looks like we had things to talk about… once I could kiss them, too.

oOo

Tsunade spent a day with Naruto, as agreed. She didn't seem very happy about it. Such a shame.

I wasn't really looking forward to remembering the torture I went through either. I would have prefer Naruto's loudness any day.

Unfortunately, a deal is a deal.

It… didn't go well.

O

 _I could hear Orochimaru in a corner of the room. Obito was closer._

 _I was lying down on a table, slowly waking up and taking note of my surroundings with my eyes closed. I had a headache from the hit I took when they abducted me._

 _The sounds were echoing strangely, like we were in a big room with high ceiling and stone walls._

 _Obito was ranting in a low murmur beside me. "She hit me! She knew who I was and Rin hit me! I can't believe it. It's their work! I know it. All of them! Including her!" He punched my leg lightly._

 _I had to sink my nails in my palms and bit my lip not to make a sound._

" _I should have dumped all these snakes on you rather than on your desk. That would have teach you!"_

" _Tobi, are you manhandling my guest? Remember, she's mine."_

" _You'll make her pay."_

" _Yes, yes, I gather she certainly won't appreciate her stay. Don't you have better things to do now? Zetsu must be looking for you. You're supposed to find the six-tails jinchuriki."_

" _Stupid Land of Waves," Obito hissed, but he moved away._

 _There was a strange sound. I carefully opened an eye to see him disappear in a vortex. I used the opportunity to test the restraints binding me. They didn't budge._

 _Orochimaru came closer. "You're awake, I see. Don't mind my partner. Brainwashing has never produced the most stable beings. I must admit that I sometimes miss Sasori's composure, but as long as I leave Tobi to have his fun, he doesn't care about my own occupations, which is much more agreeable." Orochimaru leafed through a book. "Now, let's get back to your presence here. I worked with your grandfather. He had some interesting ideas about reincarnation. I obtained a copy of his work, incomplete unfortunately, but from what I understand, you might be the living proof of his success. Let's see if it's correct and how I might improve it. I do like reverse engineering," he admitted, licking his lips in delight._

 _I held back a whimper._

 _Soon, I wasn't able to hold back the screams._

O

"Maiko! Maiko! You're alright! You're at the hospital in Konoha!"

I was screaming, I think. It hurt too much. I didn't want the pain.

"We're losing her again!"

"Minato, what's that seal?!"

"It looks like the one used by her grandfather, but there is something new on it, it destabilizes the matrix. Yin and yang chakra aren't mixing right, they're separated—"

Their voices were becoming distant.

"Blood pressure and heart rate decreasing. We're losing her."

"Can you fix it, Minato?!"

"I… If I don't take the time to think it through, it could kill her!"

"She flatlined twice already. She _is_ dying!"

"Alright. Fine. Fuinjutsu—"

oOo

"—My seal was temporary. I think it blocked her soul inside her body. The new seal should cancel Orochimaru's modification without side effect. Fuinjutsu isn't exactly something you can improvise without consequences, Genma."

"Her brain waves are returning to normal. She's waking up."

"Maiko? Maiko can you hear me?"

I let out a small whimper in reply to the Yondaime. Only a lifelong reflex of answering to this man pushed me to do so, because I was feeling like hell. My body seemed so heavy and my mouth was full of cotton.

"Here, Maiko, suck on this ice chip, it will ease your throat," Rin said somewhere on my right.

Something cold and wet touched my lips. I opened them just enough to get it inside. It was already a tremendous effort.

"Do you recognize us, Maiko? Nod if you do."

Glancing toward the Yondaime with half-opened eyes, I nodded slowly.

"Thank Sage," Genma whispered nearby.

"I don't know what you remember, but—"

I interrupted him by slowly raising a hand. What he had to say didn't matter. I could wait to know. He could not. I tried to form hand signs with my clumsy hands. It took a while and Minato had to interpret.

"The enemy… Orochimaru? No. Tobi? No. Akatsuki? Alright, what about Akatsuki? … Chasing target. Who? Six? Beast? Six… the six-tails jinchuriki? Yes? Alright, that's good information Maiko, but we can't do anything without… Waves? In the Land of Waves?"

I nodded and let my hands dropped on the mattress.

"I'll send a team to check this information," Minato promised. "Unfortunately it might be too late… Maiko, you have been in a coma for six weeks now."

I made a noise of disgust as I sucked angrily on that ice chip. Of course, the only information I get from that whole ordeal and I was sleeping when it might have been useful.

Sage, I was so tired.

oOo oOo

"You're leaving for the Land of Waves, then?" Genma was whispering to not disturb Maiko as she slept in the nearest bed. He was standing in front of the open window as Kakashi balanced on the sill.

"Yes. Even if we might be too late, sensei wants to know if the jinchuriki has been taken or not."

"Good luck then."

Kakashi nodded and glanced toward the pale figure lying still. "How is she?"

"Still sleeping. At least _now_ she's waking up now and then. She smiled and thanked me the last time I gave her ice chips. There is progress."

"She'll get better while I'm away… What do you intend to tell her?"

"What we discussed."

Kakashi nodded slowly.

"Don't you want me to?"

"No, I do. Don't tell her I love her. I'll do it myself."

"Damn. I never thought I would hear you say those words."

"Shut up."

"Make me."

With a grunt of annoyance, Kakashi leaned forward, grabbed Genma by his jacket, and pressed their lips together, never mind that his were still covered by his mask. A second later, he was gone in a whirl of leaves.

Genma chuckled and closed the window before going back to sit by the bed's side. He gently caressed the back of Maiko's hand before bringing it to his lips. "I love you."

* * *

 _As promised: as soon as possible! :) Thanks to the awesome **Sage Thrasher** for her great editing work and her feedback about this chapter, which is a little weird but hopefully not too much. _

_I realized with some of your reviews that a few things weren't clear or bothered you so let me address a few points:_

 _\- About the snakes: like Obito said in this chapter, he's the one who dumped snakes (normal ones, which is why Izumo and company had to collect them all by hand and put them in a box) in her office while she was absent. The first time, when a snake dropped a scroll on her desk, it was truly Anko (she wasn't absent then and the snake was indeed a summon, this will be addressed again later). At no point in time Orochimaru sent snakes after Maiko. He doesn't care about anything else than understanding how she got reincarnated. However Obito chose her as a scapegoat, which is why he tried to freak her out several times._

 _\- About Obito: obviously, he doesn't behave like the cannon one. Some of you asked me why he would still be an enemy of Konoha if Rin didn't die. Well, first, let me tell you that I don't like that part of the cannon story: Rin is used only as a tool to further Obito (and Kakashi)'s man pain, and then Obito behaved like she was his only reason to live and the whole world could go to hell if he couldn't have her. I'm not interested on a debate about this, but I personally find this despicable (I'm not a fan of Obito for this reason). My version of the events here is that Obito has been brainwashed (like mentionned by Orochimaru in this chapter) by Madara. Rin didn't die and that delayed Madara's plans a little, but it didn't stop him for all that (what did you expect? that he would let Obito go?). He just made his manipulations more subtle and convinced Obito that Konoha was the enemy that kept Rin from him. Obito's obsession (because it's one, let's be honest) was still used against him, just in a different way. More about this in the next chapters.  
_

 _\- About the threesome and slash: I have been told that some of you are uncomfortable about it. If that truly bothers you, I'm sorry you can't continue the adventure but this story simply isn't for you. If you try to be open-minded nonetheless, I'm glad and I can promise you that there won't be any heavy slash interactions. At most, you can expect some kisses and tender moments like I wrote lately. The emphasis of this story isn't the sexual relationship and it will never be. I don't write explicit stuff anyway._


	18. Cramps, cakes and a triad

Being unable to move for weeks led to muscle atrophy. In this world, where shinobi were often injured and needed to recover quickly, that was something they couldn't afford. They found a way to slow down the process with daily chakra stimulations done by medic-nins. Thanks to this process, I didn't end up as a limp noodle when I came out of coma. However, I was still extremely weak.

I went through physiotherapy daily and was exhausted whenever it ended. Each time, Genma was here to carry me back to my room.

My head was lolling on his shoulder. I couldn't even try to help him carry my weight: my arms were useless. "You're here so often… I don't mind, of course, but what about your work?"

"Don't worry. Someone is replacing me," he replied with a smile. "Focus on your health, sweetheart."

"I might be physically tired, Genma, but my brain is still functioning. The Hokage is generous, but he wouldn't let you take more than a day to care for your girlfriend. What aren't you telling me?"

His lips played with a senbon. "Alright, so… maybe I _am_ working."

"... as my bodyguard."

"Yep."

I sighed. "Of course." Really, I should have guessed from the start. Since Orochimaru and Obito were still on the loose, there had to be some kind of security around me. There was a point when it wasn't paranoia anymore but just good sense.

Genma put me down on the bed. I settled among the sheets while he dragged a chair closer so he could lean on the mattress. "Are you really tired?"

"Just physically," I mumbled. "Don't suggest I nap. You know I won't be able to sleep tonight if I do."

"I have learned it the hard way, yeah. Alright then, there is something I want to talk about. Do you feel good enough…?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"It's about Kakashi. When you were in the coma, we talked a lot and we… don't take it the wrong way, but we kissed." He pulled back, as if he wanted to get away from retaliation (now I got why he waited until I was too tired to move a finger).

"Oh. Yeah, I know." I nodded slowly as the memory came back to me.

"What?"

"I just remembered. It kinda went out of my mind with everything else, but now that you mentioned it…"

He was staring at me, wide-eyed. "That's it? You saw us and that's your reaction?"

"Well, excuse me, but while I was a ghost, I wasn't exactly thinking straight, alright? What did you want me to do, throw a temper tantrum like a poltergeist?" I grumbled.

I had noticed that, while he was valiantly trying to pretend otherwise, Genma had some difficulties to deal with the whole ghost episode. It made him uncomfortable. I assumed that my reincarnation was fine with him because it didn't affect him, but my out-of-body experience made him feel powerless, as such it spooked him.

Genma rubbed his forehead and sighed. "Fine. And now that you aren't… a ghost anymore?"

"I'm waiting for an explanation."

He removed his senbon and tilted his head. "Fair enough. Well, I had planned a whole speech, and now I forgot it," he grumbled.

I nudged his arm. "Are you trying to break up with me?"

"Not even in your worst nightmares," he jested. "No, it's… Remember when I told you that Kakashi and I slept together years ago?"

"Yes, you shameless man, I remember."

"Well… No, wait, that's not the best way to start."

I chuckled and patted his hand. "Genma, whatever it is, relax. I trust you both. Just spit it out."

Genma snorted. "Alright. Here is the thing: you probably noticed it while you were together, but Kakashi isn't the romantic kind of guy. The whole dating process and standard relationship isn't exactly his forte."

"I noticed."

"Did it bother you?"

"Bother? Not really, because I knew going in that wasn't an option. I liked being with him, but it certainly felt like he was keeping me at arm's length and like I was missing something. Something that you gave me," I said, tenderly squeezing his hand.

He squeezed back and brought my hand to his lips for a kiss. "I'm explaining everything all wrong, I'm sure, but… did you ever hear about triad courting?"

"No."

"Triad courtings were more common during the Warring States Period, when the mortality rate was high. It was meant to protect the children in case one or two parents died, by including a non-clan member in the courting process. It was beneficial for everyone. The non-clan member could integrate a clan, with all the advantages it brought, and offered an additional protection to the clan's line."

"So… it's about making babies?"

Genma shrugged. "That was the theory. In practice, it was a good cover for polyamory and homosexual relationships during a time when the principal duty someone owed to his clan was to produce kids to make up for all the casualties."

I nodded slowly, processing this information. "Makes sense, I guess. What does it have to do with our situation?"

"Kakashi is offering us that kind of courting, as the last member of the Hakate clan."

For a few seconds, I stared into space. I certainly wasn't expecting that. What did that mean? Why would Kakashi do such a thing when it went against his habit to keep people at arm's length? Breathing deeply, I straightened up against the pillow. "What would that imply?"

"A lot of things that I probably should let him explain since _he's_ the clan kid. Mainly, it would make us — and any of our children — members of the Hatake clan…"

"I get that, but what about the obligations? I'm not planning to have children anytime soon or to stop working to be a housewife and mother of a large family!" I tried to sit up but quickly abandoned the idea.

"Of course not, Maiko, we don't expect any of that from you, I promise. Calm down, sweetheart."

I let his gentle petting and his soft voice appease me.

"We don't have to give an answer anytime soon anyway. Kakashi is only offering to show that if we wanted to be together, the three of us, he would be serious about it. Since he's so bad with words and all the romantic stuff, it was his way of showing his intent. I am the one telling you about it because I'm supposed to be better at talking about feelings, but clearly I'm not that great." He shook his head in self-deprecation. "I went about it all wrong. What I should have started with is: would you like us three to be together? Is that something you would consider?"

I watched him intently. He was staring back at me, patiently awaiting my answer, ready to accept whatever it would be. He was trying his best. I felt a sudden surge of fondness for him.

I raised a hand to trace the lines of his jaw. He leaned into the touch.

"Would you like that? Us three?" I asked softly.

"I think it could be something great, but you're my priority, always."

"I… I don't know. I need to talk about it with Kakashi." I felt so tired that it wouldn't be wise to take any decision right now, especially without having talk to the third party of this arrangement.

"Of course, he has a lot to tell you anyway. I was just supposed to smooth the way. The two of us had weeks to talk about it and think it through. It's your turn. Take your time."

I nodded and leaned over for a kiss.

Whatever happened, I knew I was lucky to have Genma. Despite my initial doubts about his charming personality, he was a good boyfriend.

oOo

"Oh, my rude little teddy bear is visiting!"

Shikamaru groaned as he stepped into the room.

I laughed, patted the bed next to me and then smiled at Shikaku and Yoshino. "Hi. Thanks for coming. I'm so bored. I can't wait to get out of the hospital."

Shikaku nodded at Genma and then grabbed his son under the arms and lifted him on the bed so he could settle beside me. "It's good to see you awake, Maiko."

Yoshino put down a bouquet of flowers on the night table; I could smell carnations. "You had us worried."

I adjusted Shikamaru's head on my shoulder and didn't mention the way he burrowed his nose in my nightshirt while pretending to fall asleep. "I'm sorry Yoshino, and I'm sorry to have left you with all the work. I asked you to help me and you ended up replacing me." I bowed my head. "So sorry! I'll come back to work as soon as possible, and if there is anything I can do to repay you, please tell me."

"Don't take her up on that," Genma sighed as he leafed through a novel. He had pushed back his chair against a wall to get away from me. Being cooped up together didn't exactly put us in an ideal mood.

Yoshino shook her head. "Forget it, Maiko. You helped me once. I'm just evening the score."

"Minato played it smart by groveling to ask for her help," Shikaku noted with a snort. He was sitting sideways at the foot of the bed.

"Who's he?" Shikamaru interrupted, looking at Genma.

"Shiranui Genma. He's my boyfriend," I replied, distractedly petting his hair.

Genma looked up and waved. "And you're the smart boy who helped Maiko. Hi."

"I wasn't alone." Shikamaru looked up at me. "Chouji wanted to come, but he had a clan thing. I told Neji he should come, but he's convinced you don't remember him or something, although he might be saying that because his father is back."

"I would be happy to see Chouji whenever he has the time, and if Neji doesn't come to me, I'll find him."

"That's what I thought." He yawned then added as an afterthought: "Also, Itachi-san said he'll come later, something about training, but I think he just wanted me to be first so you'd squeeze me to death and be too tired after."

I gently tapped his nose. "You know me so well."

"I'm not sure it's a good thing," he said seriously, which made all of us laugh.

"Oh, come on, I'm not that bad!" I grumbled just for show. I squeezed Shikamaru in retaliation.

His protests were filling the room when the door opened brusquely to let in a blonde storm.

"Maiko-san!"

"Naruto-kun!" I let Shikamaru go and helped Naruto to climb on my bed.

He threw himself at my neck. "You're awake!"

"Yes, I am. Were you worried?" Feeling him nod against my neck, I rubbed his back. "Sorry about that, little frog. I'm doing much better now, promise."

"Yeah, Tsunade-obaasan said so!"

I straightened as I noticed the Slug Princess standing in the doorway. Shikaku and Genma promptly stood up. The legendary sannin had that kind of effect on most people even after fleeing her village. That was a little baffling to me, to be honest.

Tsunade didn't look in a good mood, she was staring at us coldly.

"We'll leave you alone," Shikaku immediately decided, retreating like the tactical genius he was.

I hugged Shikamaru one last time, thanked the Nara family and promised to see them again soon.

Once they were gone, Tsunade stepped into the room, followed by Shizune. "I'm here for a final check-up."

"You're leaving soon, Tsunade-hime?" I asked politely.

"Yes. Minato will have gathered my money by tomorrow morning. Out of the bed, gaki," she ordered Naruto, pushing him off the mattress.

"I see," I murmured. I obediently straightened to let her work. Clearly, she was still pissed with me about what I had said while I was ethereal. In retrospect, it really hadn't been smart of me. Naruto might have ingratiated himself with her, but he hadn't worked miracles. It had been unfair of me to expect anything else.

Criticizing her also showed an ungratefulness which was quite embarrassing now that I was thinking about it. Tsunade had come back to Konoha despite her revulsion for the village just to heal me, and the first thing I had done was to antagonize her. She had fought against her trauma for an ingrate. I could understand that I wasn't currently her favorite person. I didn't know how to make it up to her, though, considering I was a little bitter that she was going to leave without looking back.

"I'm going to play with Naruto in the hallway for a while," Genma announced, standing up and gently stirring the boy toward the door.

I sent him an unimpressed glance. The excuse, as good as it was, was transparent. No-one wanted to be around Tsunade on a bad day. Hell, I would have gladly left! She wasn't radiating killing intent, but she certainly set a chilling mood.

"Well? Aren't you going to say anything to convince me to stay?" Tsunade asked after a few minutes of tense silence.

I looked at her silently, trying to find a good argument, something to change her mind, but staring at her impossibly young face and intense eyes didn't give me the illumination I was looking for since she came in. "What did the Hokage told you about me? about… my birth circumstances?"

"Everything, which is the least he could give me since he asked for my help. That sounds like a lot of bull to me, but whatever, I don't care."

"You're lying."

"Excuse me?" Tsunade said threateningly, removing her hands from my forehead.

I stood my ground. I didn't have any other choice anyway. "You care. You always care. You cared so much that you got burned. You care because if reincarnation is possible that might give you a chance to bring back those you loved. You pretend you don't because you can't stand to make yourself vulnerable again and because you know that even if reincarnation is possible, it wouldn't bring back your brother and lover as you wished them to be."

Shizune's was holding her breath as she squeezed her pet pig.

Tsunade stepped back, frowning. "You don't know me or what I went through."

"I know who you could become."

"The Godaime? Ha! See, that's how I know you're inventing things. As if I would waste my time to be Hokage! Only an idealistic fool would take the title!"

"Like your brother? Or your lover?"

I was grabbed and pulled forward. I felt my shirt strain under Tsunade's grip, but I was too focused on the angry face so close to mine.

"Shut _up._ "

I stayed quiet until she calmed down. The fabric was pressing against my skin uncomfortably, but that was still better than one of her infamous punch.

When she finally let me go, I slumped against the pillow and adjusted my clothes.

"We're leaving," she stated, turning around and expecting Shizune to follow.

"When I was one year old, I tried to kill myself," I blurted out.

Shit. What was I thinking? How would this help? … No idea, but now that I had started, I couldn't stop.

Tsunade had frozen near the door but kept her back to me. Shizune had gasped and was staring at me wide-eyed.

"I had admitted to myself that I was reborn in a world that I knew to be violent and in a constant state of war. I had lost everything, from my family to the world I knew. I didn't want to start over. I wanted to die, for good." I breathed in and closed my eyes. I didn't like to remember those terrible years when processing my reincarnation had been synonymous for deep grief. "When my new parents brought me outside for a picnic, I waited until they were distracted and I just… I fell into the Naka river." Everyone had thought it was an accident. Of course, what toddler would have suicidal thoughts? I never disabused them of the notion. To that day, no one ever knew… so why was I telling her? Sage, I was desperate… or that ghost experience addled my brain more than I thought.

"So? You were saved, obviously," Tsunade said harshly, but she had turned to look at me over her shoulder.

"Yes... by a man with light blue hair. I remember, because when I opened my eyes after spitting out all the water I had swallowed, I hated that man and that world so much that I thought this was the stupidest and ugliest hair color I had ever seen."

While Shizune made a disapproving face, Tsunade — who had slowly turned around — watched me impassively, until slowly she started to laugh. After a few seconds, she was laughing so hard that her apprentice was watching her worriedly, and her pet pig was honking softly.

"I know!" Tsunade bellowed. "That's what I thought too the first time I met him!"

"What?! Tsunade-sama, I thought you loved uncle's hair?!" Shizune protested.

"It grew on me," Tsunade admitted as she crossed her arms. She was blushing slightly. "But when he was a kid, his hair was short, spiky and brighter. It looked silly."

"I hated him for a while," I admitted, "but now that I'm not wishing to die anytime soon, I'm thinking… maybe I owe him one." As I said those words, I realized how true they were. While I had accepted that Dan Katou had stopped me from drowning once, it hadn't meant much to me until now. I straightened. "Yes, it's decided. I'm going to convince you to stay in Konoha by tomorrow morning!" I raised my fist and nodded solemnly.

Tsunade snorted disdainfully. "Good luck with that, gaki. Your sob story isn't enough to convince me. Dan always had a hero complex, but I'm not him."

I pushed away the sheets and slowly stood up, looking for my slippers with the tips of my feet. "Yeah, yeah, I know. You don't care, you damn liar," I mumbled as I tried to pull down my nightshirt into something decent. I staggered toward the door — damn therapy — and leaned on the wall as I hollered in the hallway: "Naruto-kun! I have a mission for you!"

If the kid was too young to do it all on his own, I would just have to help him a little.

oOo

The next morning, at ten o'clock, I was sitting near the gates of Konoha with Genma hovering next to me (I had gotten a temporary discharge with a list of conditions so long that I had forgotten most of them, but I bet that wasn't the case for my bodyguard turned nurse).

Tsunade arrived looking like she hadn't slept enough. I knew she didn't; I had convinced one of her old medic friends to take her out for drinks. She had returned to her hotel at two in the morning, which led her to delay her departure from seven to nine.

Although her loyal Shizune and Tonton were by her side, she was accompanied by a quite diverse group of admirers and well-wishers, who offered her gifts of thanks and appreciation, and begged her to stay in equal measure. They had managed to delay her for half an hour.

Before that, I knew for a fact that Yoshino had delayed her for another half an hour with the complicity of the Genin Corps, who had done everything in their power to appear incompetent (I owed them one), as such successfully postponing the arrival of Tsunade's money and paperwork.

Of course, all of that was perfectly transparent by now, and I bore the brunt of Tsunade's ire when she caught sight of me.

"You! This is your doing! Well? How are you going to convince me to stay and spare your insufferable—"

I held out a scroll under a nose.

"This better be worth it," she grumbled as she rolled it out.

Shizune read over her shoulder and mouthed the words: "By decision of Konoha's council, under the guidance of the Yondaime Hokage, here is hereby ordained that all teams sent in a situation where fight against an enemy of equal or superior force is possible should include at least one individual able to provide medical assistance…" Shizune paused as she raised a hand to her mouth in wonder and read the details in silence for a while, until she reached the best part. "... First aid lessons will be mandatory in every year of the Academy for all students. This decree will be known as the Katou decree and takes effect immediately."

While Shizune cried silent tears, Tsunade was silent and unmoving, her eyes fixed on a point of the scroll that I knew without a doubt to be the name of her lover.

I raised a hand.

In a breeze, the Yondaime appeared on my left, right in front of Tsunade. When he had her attention, he bowed to the waist. "Tsunade-sama, as Hokage, in the name of Konoha, I beg you to stay and form our shinobi to be medic-nin, so that no more lives are lost when their death is avoidable. Please, help me bring the change you and Katou Dan advocated for years ago. _Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!"_

A Hokage didn't beg and plead without consequence. I had stood up to be able to bow with the dozens of other bystanders who bent to the waist and shouted in unison. " _Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!" (A/N: formal "please / thank you in advance")  
_

We waited in this position for a time that appeared way too long to my aching body. I couldn't look up in this stance, but I realized that even Shizune had bowed. I could see the top of her head.

Tsunade's voice, although it was soft and calm, could be heard clearly in the resulting silence. "I'm keeping the money."

"Of course, Tsunade-sama," Minato agreed.

"I won't do any surgery work. I won't fight. I won't do any mission. I'll just tutor, oversee and advise."

"Absolutely."

"... Then I agree."

The resulting cheers were deafening.

Genma helped me straighten but I was too happy to care about my aching back. It worked! I couldn't believe it worked! I was half-convinced she was going to curse us all, flee without looking back, and punch me on the way. I threw my arms around Genma's neck and squealed. "It worked!"

"Well done," he whispered, grinning and patting my back.

I bounced up and down but quickly stopped. "Oh, oh, I have a cramp. Holy shit, Genma, it worked!"

Chuckling at my reaction, Genma got me to sat down and crouched to rub my calf while I winced and shook my fist in victory at the same time.

An oink was my only warning before I had a lap full of pig and a crying Shizune hugging me. "Thank you! I can't believe you did that! How did you manage it?!"

"Oh, you know, I bribed the Hokage with promises of cakes into scheduling an urgent council meeting at seven in the morning, then I bribed the Uchiha clan heir with more promises of cakes so that, with the help of his mother, he convinced his father to finally back up the decree that the Yondaime had wanted for years, then I got Naruto to get the Hyuuga clan's head brother and nephew to my room, so I could convince them to do the same with Hyuuga Hiashi, then… well, you know what, actually, that's it, the others were all in. So, I guess, the answer is… cakes? I'll have to bake a lot of cakes."

I nodded as I contemplate the organization that would require. What did I promise again? There were lemon pies for Minato (that was just an incentive to deal with the council members so early in the morning because he was all in with the plan), cookies for Itachi, crepes for his mother, waffles for Naruto and… that's it because the Hyuuga were boring people who refused bribes even in the form of sweets.

"I want something with alcohol." Tsunade was staring down at me with a displeased expression.

"Pardon?"

"Why am I the only one who wasn't bribed with cakes? I want one with alcohol."

I grinned slowly. "Sure thing, Tsunade-sama! You got it!"

"Good." Looking appeased, she stared at me with a hand on her hip. "You might not be a total fraud, after all," she concluded before walking away.

Shizune thanked me one last time before going after her.

I chuckled and shook my head.

"Why are you amused that she called you a fraud?" Genma asked.

"Excuse you, I am ' _not a total fraud_ '," I corrected him, adding the quotation marks with my hands. "I'm laughing because I just realized that she had been waiting for someone to give her a reason to stay. She had already done half of the hard work by stepping into Konoha after being away for so long. Since yesterday, she was always pushing me to give her a good reason to stay. She didn't want a sob story, good intentions or promises. She just wanted someone to give her something that she could do, without pushing her to fight her phobia or brushing away her trauma."

"And you did."

"No. Actually, she did. She grasped the opportunity given to her and molded it to her wishes. Remember the conditions she gave to the Yondaime?" I smiled slowly.

The thing was, I used to think that _Tsunade_ was a fraud. I always admired her for her work as the Godaime in the manga, but before that? She had fled Konoha, left everyone behind when she could have helped so many, and people still admired her. For this reason, I thought she didn't deserve their respect. I had judged her harshly, and it probably showed in the way I talked to her. I was wrong. For someone in distress, she was strong. Like everyone else, she just needed some help and patience.

"I'll saturate her cake with rum," I concluded. She deserved that. That would just require a few tries before I remembered a good recipe. Oh, well, I was sure I could find some volunteers to eat the failed results.

oOo

"Why so many cakes?"

I looked up from the batter I was mixing.

I had been released from the hospital yesterday, and I was occupying my free hours with all the baking I had planned. The kitchen was completely covered with plates of sweets.

To see Kakashi appear in the middle of it was a surprise. He went to take a crepe.

From his place on a stool balancing on two feet, Genma pointed his senbon at him. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, those are for Uchiha Mikoto. I have a feeling she'd know that one's missing."

"She would," Kakashi agreed, pulling back. Our eyes met. He raised a hand lazily. "Yo."

I snorted and looked back at my batter. "Hi."

"Good to see you up."

"I know, don't I look much better when I'm actually in my own body rather than playing ghost?" I joked. "How did your mission go?"

"You were right, and we were just in time."

I looked up eagerly. "Really?!" I was convinced they would be too late.

"Apparently, Orochimaru's injuries slowed them down more than expected. The sannin was in worse shape than we thought. We reached Utakata in time, helped him escape and convinced him to talk to the Hokage outside of the village. I just came back from the meeting."

"And?" I asked eagerly.

"You'll have to ask Minato-sensei for the rest of the _confidential_ information."

I groaned but nodded. "Alright, fine. At least that's great news!" I smiled as I poured the batter in its mold. "I'm so glad it helped! It makes everything else a little worthwhile, you know..."

The stool clattered on the ground as Genma stood up. He came behind me and took me in his arms, kissing my cheek. "Hey, it's alright."

I nodded, trying to keep my mind focused on baking rather than on the memories of Orochimaru's experiments. "Yeah," I murmured, but my voice was made husky by the sobs kept inside. I had to admit defeat and put down the dishes, wrapping my hands around Genma's to focus on his touch.

"So," I tried again to say after a few seconds, clearing my throat as I did. "The cakes, right? Well, I bribed a lot of people," I admitted to Kakashi with a fake smile. 'Fake it until you feel it' was a method like any other.

"Does that have anything to do with Tsunade-sama staying in Konoha?"

"Yeah," Genma confirmed. He continued to hug me tenderly. "Did you see the calendar?"

The Calendar was a board that each division kept in their QG. They noted on it the most important things which happened recently for the people who were sent on a mission and needed a quick briefing at their return. Most information were internal to a division, but Tsunade's return was important enough that it inevitably appeared on every board around Konoha.

Those things were coded so that no infiltrator could obtain information at first glance. I had caught sight of a few and all of them were really puzzling in their own way. The Cryptanalysis Team used a string of what looked like random numbers and letters, while the Intelligence Division used code-names for everything. I didn't want to imagine what the ANBU's looked like. From what I had gathered, it was often the first test for newcomers: to be able to decipher the Calendar was proof that you belonged in the division.

I never had to worry about it since I almost never left Konoha.

"Actually no," Kakashi replied. "Minato-sensei told me. There was mention of, I quote, ' _Maiko's scheming_ '."

"Aww, scheming. I like this description. It makes me look more shrewd and cunning than I am."

"Are you belittling yourself?" Genma asked, disapproving.

"I am not." I waved at the cakes around me. "I bribed people with sweets, Genma. It's not exactly what I call _scheming_."

"I think that the scheming part was referring to the fact that you organized the signature of a decree kept in the drawers for years by convincing its detractors to change their mind using their weaknesses for the sole purpose of keeping a traumatized but nonetheless indispensable veteran in our walls, but also consequently making a cultural change who might save hundreds of lives in the years to come and possibly give us an advantage on other villages. Oh, and you did so in less than eighteen hours. Just saying."

I raised the spoon I was holding as I thought his analysis through. "That didn't sound so smart and complicated in my head."

Genma laughed and kissed my hair. "Yeah, maybe that's your strength, sweetheart."

"Maa," Kakashi drawled, "it looks like I missed some entertaining things."

"You did," Genma agreed. "I'll tell you all about it, don't worry. I had a ringside seat. But for now, I have to play delivery boy, and you have some things to talk about." He squeezed my waist and kissed me one last time before taking the packages I had prepared.

Kakashi followed him to the entrance, where Genma briefed him about my reaction to his offer, no doubt. I didn't hear anything, but I didn't worry about it. I was on attempt number three for Tsunade's cake. The first one had been too soggy with rum, and the second had been too bland. I was going to succeed, just you wait! Even if I had to spend all my money on rum (which was really expensive let me tell you, considering that it was from a small production in the south — but at least they had some!) to do so, I'd get it right.

"Are you busy?"

I looked up to smile at Kakashi.

He had come back like the silent shadow he was. Leaning against the doorway with his hands in his pockets, he was watching me with one half-closed eye.

"No, no! I'm just putting this in the oven, then I should clean the kitchen a bit, but we can talk."

"Genma said he talked to you."

"He did," I confirmed as I opened the pre-heated oven and put in the cake pan. "And I was surprised. I mean… it's not exactly your style to want to commit, is it Kakashi? And even if we keep the triad courting out of this — because, let me tell you, that's a whole other level of wow — such an unconventional relationship is still more than I—" I closed the oven's door and turned around to find Kakashi really close to me. He had removed his mask and hitai-ate (nothing subtle about it, it was just… pulled down and up respectively), baring his face. "—expected from you," I finished in a murmur.

Kakashi leaned down, and it felt like a magnetic pull. I had to crane my neck and offer my lips. However, what I got wasn't a kiss… it might be better than that.

"I love you."

My half-closed eyes widened, and I probably gaped at him a little.

"You're right. Serious relationships aren't my style, but then I've never fallen in love either," he drawled. He poked the tip of my nose. "I guess you are my first." _Then_ , he kissed me.

It woke me up from my surprised state. I eagerly threw an arm around his shoulders and soon went on tiptoe to follow his lips. I regretted it twenty seconds later, when I had to pull back as I hissed: "Cramp, cramp, cramp."

With an arm around my waist, Kakashi lifted me and carried me to the nearest stool. "Where?"

"Right foot. I'm so sorry. Those cramps keep coming back."

"That's an after-effect of the chakra stimulation done by the medics, especially when the muscles aren't used to it," he explained as he removed my slipper and pressed his thumbs against the sole of my foot. He kissed my ankle as he did so, with a tenderness that was very different from the sensuality he'd shown in our previous relationship. I stayed silent as our eyes met and not only because I was biting my lip to keep the whines in.

"Better?" He asked.

It was actually. His pressures were so precise and effective that he had clearly done it before. I nodded.

Despite the pain, I was thinking of something else entirely. I had realized a grave omission. I licked my lips and leaned closer. "I love you too," I murmured, "and I love Genma, and I really want this to work so I'll like to try, but I'm worried this isn't for you. It would break my heart if you pull back one day because of this, Kakashi. Our friendship means more to me than sex. I just… If we do this, I want to do it right, for the three of us."

He closed the space between us for a quick kiss, just a press of our lips. "What do you want?"

"Your promise that, whatever happens, you won't let this break our friendship."

"I can promise I'll do my best."

I didn't resist when he pulled me from the stool. I slid on his lap like it was the most natural thing in the world and put my arms around his shoulders where they belonged. We kissed again and I clung to him. "For the record, I'm not having any kid before I'm twenty-five," I murmured after a while. Even though we weren't talking about the triad courting for now, it had to be mentioned.

"I don't think I'll _ever_ be ready to have kids so go ahead and take all the time you want. Forever is fine with me."

I laughed and settled in his embrace.

An hour later, Genma came back from his errands to find us cuddling on the couch. He joined us in a pile.

"If we do this, we need to invest in bigger furniture," I noted after five minutes of silence.

"Agreed," Kakashi and Genma said in unison.

oOo Changes of PoV oOo

Mikoto called for her sons as she arranged a tea tray on the table for the cookies, waffles and crepes recently delivered.

Sasuke and Naruto arrived first, followed by their silent big brother. Itachi took a look at the sweets and asked: "Did Maiko-san come by?"

"Her boyfriend did. Apparently, she's still too weak to make the delivery herself."

Itachi nodded, the spark of interest in his eyes quickly fading as he asserted that Maiko was nowhere to be seen. For a long time, Mikoto had wondered if she should be wary of this woman who had gained the affection of her son so easily. However, she had noticed that Itachi was more relaxed since he'd met her, at least when his father wasn't around, and that was something which shouldn't be stifled. Mikoto had chosen to wait and see.

Then, Itachi had come to her and asked for her help with talking to his father, just because this Maiko had asked for a favor, although he insisted: "It's not really a favor, okaa-san. I believe she's right. I don't know however how to make father see this."

Itachi hadn't asked for her help in years! Mikoto hadn't looked a gift horse in the mouth. She didn't try to influence her husband often, but he rarely resisted her. It had been especially true with his heir by her side. Fugaku had told her afterwards that he was surprised it meant so much to Itachi. He too had been worried about Maiko's influence over his son, and he had even questioned Itachi about it during their discussion.

As Mikoto watched him eat a cookie, she remembered his words: "Yes, I like her and I respect her opinion, not because she convinced me that she's right but because she makes me believe that what is right, in this case the presence of a medic-nin in every team, can become reality if we fight for it. I like her because she makes me believe in a better world, not in dozens of years, but for tomorrow. And yes, maybe tomorrow will actually be more difficult since we don't have enough medic-nin yet, but aren't the efforts necessary worth it when we know that in the future our comrades are more likely to come back? Just because something is difficult to obtain doesn't mean it isn't worth it."

That was more words than she heard him say in a while.

Their eyes met as Naruto and Sasuke argued on what was better, the crepes or the waffles. Mikoto smiled, and Itachi gave her a very soft smile back.

"She's a good cook," Mikoto commented.

"Yes, she is," he agreed," but she's jealous of your bentos."

"Oh, really?"

"Hers aren't as pretty as yours."

"I see." Mikoto pretended she wasn't absurdly pleased by this.

oOo

Hiashi and Hizashi stepped into the later's house just in time to see Neji hide a package under the kotatsu.

"Neji? What is it?"

The young boy hid his embarrassment as he put back a small bento box over the table. "Maiko-san sent it. I don't know why."

Hizashi stepped forward and removed the lid to find several cookies inside. "I see." He glanced at his son, who was looking away, pretending he wasn't interested in the cakes. Hizashi made a few hand seals and waved a hand over the box. He didn't notice anything out of place. "They are gifts for you I believe. Go ahead."

Neji looked up, wide-eyed. "Can I eat them?"

"Did you complete your training?"

"Yes, father!"

"Then you can, this is your reward. Eat them outside to avoid crumbs everywhere."

"Yes, father, thank you!" Neji grabbed the box and scampered outside, only stopping to bend low in front of the clan head.

Hiashi chuckled and followed his brother into the kitchen, where Hizashi prepared tea. "It's good to see Neji being excited about anything."

"Yes," Hizashi agreed. "I do not believe he's really fond of sweets, but he has them so rarely that he must appreciate the novelty of it."

"Or the attention that this Maiko gave him."

Hizashi hummed in answer, his wife's absence making itself felt. It hadn't escaped his notice that the reason for his son's attachment to this Maiko might be that she was filling a void in his son's life.

"How did she convince you Hizashi?" The clan head asked seriously. "You haven't come to me with a request in years. How did she convince you to do so?"

"She didn't. Neji did."

"How?"

"He asked me exactly what I asked you. Why did his mom die?" Hizashi looked up from the teapot to stare at his twin. "She died because no-one in her team was able to recognize the symptoms of a simple poison. She died because the poison induced a state of delusion, irrationality and paranoia who led her to question Konoha. She died because they believed she was a traitor, and they never thought of questioning it because she was of the branch house!"

"Hizashi," his brother tried to interrupt.

Hizashi made a dismissive gesture as he breathed in deeply to calm himself. "How was I supposed to tell him that, Hiashi? How was I supposed to explain that could happen again, to him, to me, to anyone… because _nothing_ changed since, and our clan contributed actively to this statu-quo."

They had rehashed the why and the how for hours the other day. They weren't going to start again when Hizashi had finally managed to convince his brother to go against the elders' opinion on this. The contempt for medical ninja was ingrained in their clan. It was considered to be a lesser speciality, for women and branch members without talent for combat.

Hiashi allowed a few minutes of silence for his brother to calm down. The tea was ready, and they went to sit with a cup of strong brew.

"What role did Kamizuki Maiko play in your decision to come to me?"

"She asked me for the best way to change your mind. She was white like a sheet but nonetheless ready to come to your door and petition you herself if she had to. I asked why she was so intent on this. She said that she was in debt to a dead man. Neji… replied that it was stupid because she was going to die if she moved and then what good would she do to anyone?" Hizashi sipped his tea for a long while. When he put down his cup, he was smiling. "I have never seen Neji so restless and… alive. So I made a deal with her, that I'd go talk to you in her stead if she continued to care for Neji."

"You're entrusting your son to an outsider?!"

"Of course not. I'm simply developing my son's social network. She _is_ the Hokage's assistant."

"The elders wouldn't like it."

"What will you do about it?"

"About what? … This is good tea."

"Mom's favorite."

"Ah, yes."

* * *

 _The great **Sage Thrasher** is still to thank for the edit work on this chapter. As always, she's the best. **  
**_

 _Thanks for your continued support guys, I'm glad you like the story. If you have a few seconds to spare, would you mind voting for the poll on my profile? It's just a quick preference check about 1st or 3rd person, for any other stories I could post. I have quite a lot of ideas in drafts, I might publish a few more of them (I already added one for those who don't author follow me)._


	19. Honeymoon Phase

After two weeks of recovery, I had gone back to the office this morning. It had been great to work with Yoshino, to feel useful again, to meet so many people asking after my health… I liked my job!

It was going to be the death of me.

"Are you dead yet?"

I produced a groan that sounded somehow like the dying call of goat (very alluring, let me tell you). Yet, Kakashi simply patted the top of my head without looking away from the book he was reading. We were both resting on the couch. He was sandwiched between the arm rest and my dead weight but somehow made it look like he was lounging comfortably for the cover of a magazine. My boyfriend was so out of my league that it wasn't funny.

I pressed my face deeper against his shirt, contemplating the effort it would require for me to go to bed. I was just… exhausted. My body didn't hurt, not anymore, but it was like I'd used every last drop of energy I had and I just… couldn't move. Coming back home had been a trial as it was, a trial which I had failed: Genma had to carry me for the stairs.

"I'm home!"

Talking about Genma…

"I got soba!"

I perked up at the mention of food. "Bless you!"

He stepped in the living room, take-out bag in hand, and smiled at me knowingly. "Do you think you can sit up to eat?"

Before I could reply, Kakashi had put down his book, grabbed me by the waist and rearranged our positions so I could lean back against his chest comfortably. "Here."

Genma handed over a bowl and chopsticks.

"Best boyfriends ever," I murmured, eagerly cradling the bowl against my collarbone to make sure I wouldn't spill broth everywhere.

"Maa, such a low maintenance girlfriend," Kakashi replied, amused, as he accepted his own bowl.

"You weren't the one carrying her."

"What's that s'posed to mean?" I mumbled around my noodles. "Are you calling me fat?"

"Of course not, darling. If you ever were fat, I'm pretty sure weeks in a hospital bed fixed that for you," he replied while sitting down on the low table to face us.

"I was a chubby kid," I mentioned distractedly in between some slurping.

"Were you?"

"Uhuh. I didn't want to play ninja with others, run around and all that… You know, I was too old in my head for that."

"You must have been the favorite of your class," Genma said sarcastically.

"Yep. I'm pretty sure _you_ were the favorite, am I right?"

He shrugged. "Only with the ladies."

I snorted and chewed on my mouthful before glancing over my shoulder. Kakashi was foregoing his mask and hitai-ate around the house now, which made my heart do somersaults when I realized it would become a habit. I couldn't yet stifle the urge to make sure he wasn't bored while I talked with Genma, but he didn't intervene, though. I was sure I would get over it soon, but I wanted to make sure that no one felt excluded in this relationship. That was my biggest fear.

"Don't ask about Kakashi. He was a mess," Genma joked.

"Past tense. While you still are," Kakashi replied, deadpan.

I snorted, nearly spitting out broth and choking.

"Nice," Genma approved good-naturedly. He liked witty comebacks even to his expense, which was a good thing considering that their relationship was 20% of those kind of exchanges. It was _not_ boring.

I patted my chest to clear my airways and nodded.

When I had finished my bowl, I put it down next to Genma. The dishes would wait tomorrow, I couldn't care less about them. "I'm going to bed. Thanks for the meal, t'was good."

"You're welcome. Want company?"

"Nuh-uh. I'm going to crash. You two go ahead and enjoy yourself," I mumbled while leaning on the wall to go to the bathroom.

"Don't mind if we do!" Genma shouted at my back.

I smiled, knowing that Kakashi wouldn't give him the time of day as long as he hadn't finished his book. He knew it too, I bet, because the TV was turned on right after.

Several hours later, I woke up from a light doze as they came into the bedroom.

My bed had disappeared one day to be replaced by several futons laid down together. It necessitated some getting used to, but it had some undeniable advantages.

I was gently pushed away from the left side (closest to the door) I was hogging. I swapped the pillows and grumbled: "Why am I always in the middle?"

"Because curves mean you're an excellent pillow and teddy bear, sweetheart."

I huffed, although I didn't try to remove the warm hand caressing my hip and pulling my nightdress higher. "Just say you're paranoid bastards who can't feel restrained."

"We're paranoid bastards who can't feel restrained," Kakashi dutifully repeated.

While Genma liked to be the bigger spoon and hug me loosely as we went to sleep, Kakashi wasn't comfortable with more than a few touches. I was fine with both, especially since Kakashi always humored my need for cuddles the rest of the time.

"Good night."

I closed my eyes and listened to their quiet breaths. I wasn't used to it yet. We had talked about it, and they had mentioned it reminded them of sleeping with their teams during missions. In Genma's absence, Kakashi had also admitted that he had less nightmares when he didn't sleep alone. It wasn't something I had really experienced; I hadn't gone on missions with a team often enough to get used to it. As such, I was often the last one to fall asleep, but it was comforting to know they were so close.

In the morning, I woke up to an empty bed, although I could hear them in the kitchen. I took a few minutes to surface and then went into the bathroom. When I came out, Genma was waiting, leaning against the wall, only wearing pyjama bottoms.

He straightened and kissed my cheek. "Good morning sweetheart. Breakfast is ready."

"You're the best."

He chuckled and went into the bathroom after me.

I stumbled into the kitchen to find Kakashi doing one-handed push-ups while he read his book. He too was only wearing pants.

"Morning," he said distractedly, turning the page with his free hand.

I needed a moment to check I wasn't dreaming (this looked like the start of a steamy fantasy). After a second, I shrugged and went to sit in front of the bowl of rice porridge waiting for me. "Morning. That book looks really captivating. Your nose has been stuck in it since yesterday."

"Mh? Yeah, it's good," he replied distractedly before changing arm.

"Can you lend it to me once you're done? I went through everything I had to read these last weeks."

"Sure."

I let the silence settle, transfixed by his muscles undulating under his skin. Before I realized it, my bowl was empty. I cleared my throat and went to wash it, trying to get my mind back on track. I didn't have time for lustful daydreaming. The Hokage had a meeting at ten o'clock I had to prepare for. As yummy as my boyfriends were in the morning, I had my own routine to follow.

As an administrative agent, I didn't need to be as ripped as they were, but every active ninja had to be in fighting shape to a level corresponding to their rank. Every three months, we were evaluated to make sure this was the case. If we failed those examinations, there were consequences that ranged from salary deduction to demotion if it was a repeated offense. Every ninja was responsible for their training regimen, and none could afford to neglect it.

After the coma I went through, I would have difficulty passing the incoming examination (although I should receive a simple warning due to extenuating circumstances, I always managed to pass inspections, and it would be a blow to my pride if I couldn't). If I neglected my daily training routine, it would be worse.

With the hours I pulled at the tower, I rarely had time to train outside like most combattants. I had to do with warm-ups and exercises in a corner of the living room free from any furniture.

I was in the middle of a split when Genma came out of the bathroom, fully dressed.

"When is the start of your shift?" I asked, leaning forward on my elbows.

"Ten minutes. Are we still okay for the movie tonight or do you think you'll be too tired again?"

I winced. "Can we postpone? Just a few days."

"Sure thing. I'll have the evening free in four days. Kakashi?"

"Should be free for the next week" was the reply coming from the kitchen.

"Still training the newbie are you?"

A groan was his only answer.

Genma chuckled and went to put on his shoes. "Four days it is. I'm looking forward to that movie. Action and humor in one package are my favorites."

"The female character better be good like you promised!"

"You won't be disappointed. Trust me, I'm the movie specialist," he replied with a hand to his chest. "See you later!"

When Kakashi went into the bathroom, I was doing crunches while planning my to-do list for the day. When he came out, I was finishing squats and cursing the day I decided to become a kunoichi. Getting back to shape after an injury was always the worst.

"Cramp again?" he asked as he dried his gravity-defying hair with a towel.

I rubbed my ankle one last time. "No, just some strain. When is your meeting?"

"Ten. I might spar with Gai beforehand. It's been a while. Letting out some steam might keep me from strangling my team."

"It can't be that bad." I went into the bathroom but kept the door open so we could speak.

"The newbie is slow on the uptake and the team short on patience. I already used all my usual punitions."

"Positive reinforcement is more effective, you know."

"What?"

"Using the carrot rather than the stick," I joked, stepping into the shower. "In my previous world, there were psychological studies done to prove that people learned better when they were rewarded for good behavior rather than punished for something they shouldn't do. When they are punished, they just don't do it when and where you can see it, which can be useful in certain cases I guess but not for bad habits you want them to lose. I learned that to become a teacher."

"Are you telling me I should give them cakes when they're doing something right?"

I chuckled and craned my neck to be heard despite the water's noise. "No, but you're getting the idea."

"I have a reputation, Maiko," he sighed. His voice had changed a little as if he had put on his mask.

"Oh, do you? And what does it say?"

"That I shouldn't be crossed."

"Uhuh. Isn't that a little boring though? Aren't you looking forward to surprising them a little bit?"

He was much closer when he said: "I am listening."

I smiled in victory and discussed with him how he could modify his training process.

oOo

As agreed with Yoshino, her shift started an hour after mine to give her time to deal with her family's needs. Yesterday, she had left Shikamaru with a babysitter to focus on getting me up to date. Today she brought him at the office. Unlike his father, Yoshino didn't carry him around, which is why I was greeted by a tired Shikamaru dragging his feet. He collapsed on the pillow and blanket his mother had laid down between some bookcases behind her desk. I watched him wrap himself like a maki and smiled in shared amusement with Yoshino. At least the morning would be quiet on that front.

Excitement came in the afternoon and took the shape of a rebellious teenager. Wait, in hindsight, she was probably only a year or two younger than me, but I tended to forget I was still _technically_ a teenager too… Urgh, this led to headaches. Anyway, it wasn't my fault if her behavior was stereotypical of her age.

"What can I do for you Mitarashi-san?" I asked while I finished the letter I was writing as per the Hokage's instructions.

"Ibiki says you want to see me," Anko replied, cleaning her teeth out with a dango stick.

"Ah, yes." Thank you so much for that, Ibiki. That was totally not what I wanted when I talked to him and he knew it, the asshole. I busied myself with cleaning my desk to buy a few seconds to decide how to deal with this. In the end, I didn't have the time or patience for games, and honesty might be more efficient. "I received a transfer request at your name around… damn, when was it?" Somehow, being in a coma for weeks messed with your sense of time. I checked the calendar. "Wow, that was already three months ago. I wonder, Mitarashi-san, why you didn't come sooner to inquire about its state. Might it be because you didn't follow the proper protocol?"

Anko straightened and sent the stick in the nearest trashcan. "Alright. I get it. I didn't follow your paper pushers' rules, so you held it back, didn't you? Abuse of power is the only way you guys can feel good about your little lives, ain't it? Does that turn you on?" she asked with a dirty smirk while leaning forward suggestively.

I tilted my head to the side as I considered my next move. I could empathize with Anko: she had suffered under Orochimaru's care, and she still did because of the distrust everyone had for the former pupil of a traitor. She wanted to prove her worth, but she had to deal with more crap than most. She probably got used to people making her life difficult on purpose and learned to deal with it with bravado to hide her feelings and a lot of manipulation to get her way. Added to that teenage years and Ibiki as a role model, that made an explosive cocktail. So, really, I got it, the posturing and everything. It didn't mean that I approved. We might have a common hatred for Orochimaru, but our similarities stopped there.

Yoshino had stood up and gestured for her son to follow. Shikamaru sighed but immediately dropped his book when his father was mentioned. He left but nonetheless threw a glance over his shoulder in Anko's direction, perfectly aware of the reason he had to leave.

"Where should I start?" I murmured. "First of all, thank you for your interest in my sexual life, but it's currently perfectly satisfying and doesn't require extra stimulation." I heard Genma snort. "In the same manner, my self-esteem is doing great and my little life could use some less _snakes_ , but it's overall quite fulfilling. So no, Mitarashi-san, I didn't held back your papers just for my pleasure and to piss you off. I held those papers back because protocol, as annoying as it can be, is _there for a reason_. A confounding concept, I know. Shall I explain?" I raised a hand at her attempt to interrupt. "Don't answer that. I'm on a roll, it's too late for you. Protocol demands that all papers needing review be delivered in person. Why? Because impersonating someone is the oldest trick in the book for infiltrators and spies. Protocols demand that animals summons are only used for emergency delivery. Why? Because summoning is a—"

"I know this!" Anko shouted.

"Then why are you breaking protocols and giving me attitude, chuunin?! I don't care about your personal troubles, Mitarashi-san, you're not above the rules! So get a grip and don't you ever talk to me like that again, is that clear?"

She didn't reply and looked ready to say something stupid again.

I stood up and leaned forward, hands on the desk. "Is that clear?" I repeated.

She had to bite her lip, but she hissed a "Yes."

I nodded and sat down. I had her transfer request out of a drawer in two seconds and held it out to her. "The Hokage will see you now."

She took it brusquely and went to the door, only stopping a step before to calm herself down. She was impulsive, not stupid. Even if the Yondaime was indulgent, he commanded respect by his presence alone. Too bad that rarely rubbed off on his assistants. That would be damn useful.

I wasn't surprised when Ibiki appeared as soon as the door was closed behind his subordinate. He had probably been listening from the start. I glared at him, unimpressed by his scheming. "Was that a test of her pride?"

Pride was the downfall of many shinobi. You had to be able to contain it for the betterment of a mission or a simple goal like a transfer request. I had no doubt this was an ongoing struggle for Anko.

He smirked. "Yes. You did brilliantly, Kamizuki-san."

I groaned in disgust. " _Butchers_. Give me a break, will you?" I could only imagine my reputation in the Torture and Interrogation Force, but the dislike was mutual.

"Where would be the fun in that?" he asked before leaving with a nod in Genma and Raidou's direction.

I immediately turned toward Genma and pointed a pen at him. "Not a word!"

Stopping with his mouth open, he raised his hands questioningly.

"I know you were going to make an inappropriate joke. Don't. Keep it professional, Genma, _professional_."

"I'm professional," he protested with a smirk. "But alright, just for you, darling. I'll keep it in store for tonight. Your _satisfaction_ is my priority." He immediately had to duck the pen thrown at him and Raidou's punch, which didn't stop him from laughing joyously.

I had to endure a lot of dirty jokes in the evening. Kakashi wasn't any help: he found the recollection of my speech absolutely delightful and asked for an immediate opportunity to ensure my 'satisfaction'.

My boyfriends were trolls.

oOo

The next day, I was pointedly not looking in Genma's direction, partly to avoid any inappropriate blushing from me and any lewd wink or smirk from him.

"Maiko, a minute of your time?" Minato called as he stepped in his office.

"Of course, Hokage-sama." I stood up and locked up any sensitive documents in drawers before I left my desk. I stepped over Shikamaru, who was lying between his mother's desk and mine with a book in hand. I went around the space Iruka used to work on the latest fuuinjutsu exercice Minato gave him. I passed by the guards, slapping away Genma's wandering hand without a glance, and finally closed the office's door behind me. "What can I do for you?"

"There is something we should discuss. I was simply waiting for you to feel better," he explained, gesturing toward a chair. To my surprise, he activated a privacy seal, which he only tended to use for confidential meetings since the room was already sound-proofed.

I moved the chair in front of his desk and sat down. "Alright. What is it?"

"I don't know how much you remember from your time with Orochimaru and your return to the world of the living corporeal beings, but you need to know that… there is a seal on you."

I had tensed when Orochimaru was mentioned. I was not looking forward to reviving this event. While I had mostly made my peace with what I went through, thanks to weeks of recovery and despite bouts of nightmares, the last thing I wanted to do was to talk about it. When I woke up at night, I only wanted Genma or Kakashi's embrace reminding me I was safe, nothing more.

I hadn't expected Minato's revelation however. I didn't remember anything about a seal. I straightened and leaned forward. "On me? You mean… Orochimaru put something on me? Why?!"

"No, not Orochimaru. You grandfather did. It has always been there. I found a draft of it in the research your mother gave me. It was put on you before your birth, transmitted through your mother's blood to your own, I'd say, which is highly advanced, dangerous and unstable work. Orochimaru only managed to reach for it so he could study it. He also tried to modify it, which… led to the situation you were in when we found you. I had to cancel the alteration so you could… get back to normal." Minato was getting increasingly uncomfortable. He was rubbing his brow and didn't look me in the eye.

"What's wrong? You canceled the modification, so I'm back to normal… right?"

"Yes, you are… as normal as you were."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You can't die," he blurted out, staring at me.

"What?"

"I studied the seal for days, and… the modification done by Orochimaru didn't lead to your state of dissociation. It led to your death. The change in the seal was lethal," he explained leaning forward on his desk and moving his hands to emphasize his explanation.

"But I didn't die!"

"You did. I mean, your body died and then was most probably resuscitated by Orochimaru, but too late. Your soul should have left your body, move on to the Pure Land, but it didn't. It was stuck because the seal anchors your soul to your body. One of the side-effects from Orochimaru's modification was the interruption of the natural connection which allowed your soul to find its way back… in."

"Summarize," I asked harshly. My heart was beating too fast and I felt clammy. He couldn't say what I was thinking he was saying, right? That was just not possible.

"The seal prevents your soul from leaving. As long as there is a body, you won't die. You can stop breathing, or your heart can stop for hours, but if it starts beating again, you'll come back to your body. You'll resuscitate, or you'll be stuck in limbo like you were when in a coma."

"That's not physically possible! The brain deteriorates if it's not irrigated by blood so how even—"

"I didn't say there wouldn't be consequences," Minato announced solemnly. "Your soul can't leave until your body is entirely destroyed. If your body is impaired… then you'll be stuck in a shell of yourself."

"But… that would mean… for eternity, I would be…" I gaped in disgust and distress. All the ways this could go wrong, this could lead me to an eternity of torment, were overwhelming me. "Remove it," I breathed.

"Maiko—"

"Remove it!" I shouted, standing up brusquely, sending the chair flying back. My fists hit the desk without a conscious thought. I felt tears filling my eyes and clouding my sight. I struggled to speak clearly: "You can do it, right?! You're the best fuuinjutsu master! Just remove it! I don't want this! I don't want it! I didn't ask for this! I DIDN'T!" I burst into tears, sobbing like I hadn't in years. My legs failed me and I fell, leaning against the wood, my shoulders shaking. "Just remove it, _please_."

He moved around his desk. I felt his hands on my back. He held me, pulling me into his embrace. I clung to his vest.

"Please," I begged.

Minato pet my hair, shushing me gently until I had calmed down a little. "Maiko, listen to me." He cupped my face between his hands and looked me in the eye.

He was a little blurry, but I listened nonetheless, sniffling softly.

"Do you trust me?"

"Yes," I blurted out immediately.

"This seal is extremely complex and one small mistake can have devastating consequences for you, like Orochimaru proved, and like I discovered when I tried to help you the first time. I promise to help you, but this will take time. Do you understand?"

"How much?"

"Months, maybe years. I want Jiraiya-sensei's opinion before I try anything."

I sniffled some more and brushed tears and snot away with my sleeve. I was still holding on to him with one hand and I pulled him forward more firmly, staring at him intently. "If you die before you remove this seal from me, Hokage-sama, with all the respect I owe you, I swear I'll find you, whether you end up in the Pure World or in the Shinagami's stomach, and I'll drag you back kicking and screaming if I have to. You hear me?"

Minato smiled. "Loud and clear."

"And if die before it happens, and if my body is too badly damaged, you have to swear you'll burn this damn body until there is nothing left."

"I understand."

"Swear it to me," I asked with desperation.

"I swear it, Maiko. You have my word," he said softly, squeezing my wrists briefly and conveying all his feelings in a look.

I drew courage and reassurance in him, putting my faith in his capacities and reliability. I could trust him, he would help. I wasn't alone in this mess and that certainty drew me away from panic.

oOo

I had carefully dried my tears, patted my cheeks and cleared my expression before getting out of the Hokage's office, but Genma was on me as soon as I went to the bathroom.

"What's wrong?" He asked while I washed my hands.

"Nothing."

"Maiko, you're refusing to meet my eyes. You're hiding something from me."

Damn it. If I looked at him, he'd know. If I didn't look at him, he'd suspect anyway. I couldn't win.

I sighed and bent down to wash my face. It was a telltale sign, but screw it.

He was behind me when I looked up. Our eyes met in the mirror.

"You cried," he realized. "Why?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Mai-chan—"

"Genma," I interrupted him, staring at him through the mirror, "I _don't_ want to talk about it. Not now. Just… I can't, alright?" My voice quavered, and I silently cursed myself. If I was given the occasion, I would crumble in tears again. This was the last thing I needed at work.

He hesitated but caved in. "Alright, but this isn't over."

"I know." It wouldn't be over as long as that seal was on me.

Genma didn't leave though. I eyed him as I dried my hands and finally realized what was bothering him enough to wait. I grabbed his vest and kissed the corner of his lips. "I love you."

He relaxed but didn't smile, his brown eyes analyzing me from head to toe for an answer to his questions. "I love you too, darling, but you'll give me grey hair before I'm thirty and that's not acceptable. I like my hair."

I chuckled and couldn't repress a smile. "I like it too," I admitted, tugging on a strand of long hair. Not every man could pull off his haircut, but it fit him.

"So be kinder to me." He threw an arm around my shoulders and pressed me against his side. "Come on, let's go."

We went back to work.

I might have made a few more mistakes than usual, and I might have been a little more gloomy than most days, but it was nothing to worry about.

The BoyfriendsTM disagreed.

I was assaulted by a blond storm who made himself at home on my lap and enthusiastically tapped the desk with his tiny hands. "Can I help you, Maiko-san?"

"Of course, Naruto-kun," I agreed, gathering papers, red ink and a stamp, which I put in front of him.

I eyed Kakashi-the-lousy-babysitter and Genma-the-distracted-guard as they talked together in low voices. While they weren't looking at me, I knew exactly what they were talking about. They didn't even try to be discrete.

That's the problem with a triad relationship: two members could ally against the third so easily! And why was I treating this like a fight, now? I needed to calm down.

"Are you alright, Maiko-san?"

I blinked and looked down to see that Naruto had finished and was looking up at me with big blue eyes filled with curiosity. I smiled distractedly. "Of course. Why?"

"Kakashi-nii-san said I had to di-ditra—"

"Distract?"

"Yes, that. Distract you."

"Oh, did he now?" I murmured. Using kids against me was just unfair! Aaand, I needed to calm down again. I breathed in deeply. "Well, it's a bad day, but nothing to worry about."

"Eat ramen!"

"What?"

"When daddy or I have a bad day, we eat ramen," he explained seriously, as if it was the recipe to heal all wrongs.

"That's because it's your favorite food."

"Yeah! It's the best! What's yours?"

"My favorite food? Maki. I really like maki."

"Maki is fine, but ramen is better."

"Well, I beg your pardon; waffles are even better!"

Naruto froze in the middle of the "No, ramen!" he had prepared, stumped by the apparition of his favorite dessert in the equation. His nose scrunched quite cutely as he thought it through. "No, ramen," he decided after a long minute of reflection with his arms crossed and his head tilted.

I chuckled and ruffled his hair. "If you say so."

Iruka came back from the library, where he had taken Shikamaru for a stroll while getting material for his fuuinjutsu. Naruto was immediately out of my lap and running to jump in Iruka's arms, even if it forced the teenager to drop the scrolls he was carrying. There was definitely a "troublesome" coming from Shikamaru's direction. I hid my laughter behind a fist and met Yoshino's amused eyes. Naruto and Shikamaru were polar opposites, and they were bound to meet each other more often around here.

"Maa, such a distracted soldier," Kakashi murmured next to me. He had managed to appear by my side without me noticing, _again_. I sent him the usual glare as I repressed a start.

"That tends to happen with three-year-old," I pointed out with sarcasm.

"Is that so? Such a shame." His eye crinkled as he sat on the edge of the desk. "Now, did I told you about training yesterday?"

"No."

"Yes, we were a little busy," he said with an innocent tilt of his head. "Well, I admit your plan to drive my little underlings nuts is a great success."

"Wha—" I squinted at him. "You're having me on, that wasn't the plan."

"Wasn't it?"

"Are you trying to piss me off or something?"

"Maybe."

"Oh for—" I stopped myself from swearing as young voices reminded me of the impressionable kids nearby. I settled for pushing him away. "Shoo! _I_ have some work to do."

Fortunately, he complied readily and went back to scheming with Genma. I thought I heard a "you were right" but nothing more. Whatever. I had better things to do than focusing on them. It included not focusing on my immortal state.

oOo

I came back home alone. Genma's shift ended later than mine today, and Kakashi had to bring Naruto to the Uchiha for dinner.

Satisfied that I had some time for myself to brood over the seal revelation, I removed my sandals in the genkan, muttering: "Stupid grandfather. If he ended up in the Pure World, I hope grandma put him through the wringer."

I had made peace with that part of the family's history, but that was before knowing the consequences for the long term. I had already lived twice as much as most people could hope, I didn't want anything to do with any kind of immortality. I was no Hidan or Orochimaru. The concept alone was repugnant to me. All the ways this could go wrong scared me more than anything else ever did, even more than the torture and experimentations I had feared previously and lived through. I just… There were so many scenario I could imagine on how this could end terribly!

I had already lived once when I shouldn't have and consequently lost everything I knew and cared for. To go through that again terrified me. Add to that the possibility of being chained to a worthless corpse? I couldn't. It made me extremely anxious. I felt the panic rise as I removed my shoes and realized I was completely alone…

Being alone wasn't such a good idea after all.

"Yo."

I squealed in fright and jumped on the wall, instinctively sticking to it with chakra. I had a war fan in each hand, ready to slice in pieces the intruder I hadn't felt…

I dropped to the ground and crouched low, glaring at the small pug who had raised a paw in greeting. " _You_ are just as bad as your master. _Don't scare the shit out of me!_ "

"Sorry about that," Pakkun said nonchalantly.

"You even have his blasé attitude!"

"Yeah, well, he likes to mimic me. Those kind of things tend to happen with kids, you know."

I tilted my head and contemplated this answer for a second. "How old you are?! No, wait, don't answer that," I decided finally before offering my hand. "I'm Kamizuki Maiko. Nice to meet you. I heard a lot about you."

"Same," he replied, patting my palm with his paw.

"Why are you here?" I asked as I stood up and walked into the living room.

Pakkun followed. "Just looking around Kakashi's new home."

"He hasn't moved in yet." And he probably wouldn't. If we really wanted to live together on the long term, we would need a bigger apartment than mine. It might be the largest of our flats, but for three people used to living alone (although Genma was currently sharing with Raidou), it was still too small.

"It's just as if, isn't it? I can smell him everywhere," Pakkun replied, jumping on the couch and making himself comfortable.

That might be because we were in a kind of honeymoon phase during which we didn't get tired of each other company. After a first week during which we tentatively tried to get our bearings, the second week had been a lot of… you knew… honeymoon things.

I squinted at him. "That's not why you're here… Kakashi asked you to keep me company, didn't he?"

"Yep."

I huffed, but a smile crept up and took control of my lips. It was nice of him, I couldn't deny that. Especially considering my panic attack had ebbed away. "Want to watch TV and eat snacks with me?"

Pakkun perked up. "What kind of snacks are we talking about?"

"What kind do you want? I'm so tired nowadays that I don't have the energy to cook. The fridge is full of snacks."

"Kakashi wouldn't approve."

I grunted and opened the fridge. "Oh… That must be why he made onigiri." I removed the container marked with a 'for Maiko' post-it. "That's nice…"

"No snacks for me?"

I grabbed the box marked 'for Pakkun' and showed it to him. His tail wagged happily.

Kakashi was spoiling us. I didn't think that was his style, but now that I thought about it, he was quite strict on his diet. I never had seen him eat junk food and rarely any sweets or fried food. I had guessed he was able to cook for himself (contrary to Genma, who was a real mess in the kitchen: when he tried to help me, I had to keep a careful eye on him or his 'creative inspiration' would ruin perfectly good ingredients), but not that I would benefit from it.

Spoiler alert: he was a good cook.

When Kakashi came home, I was munching on my second onigiri, draped in a blanket on the couch, Pakkun nestled on my chest. Two heads turned lazily in his direction, and Kakashi's eye crinkled in amusement.

"Are we comfortable?" he asked.

"Quite," I replied.

"I like your girl, Kakashi. She has good taste."

Kakashi glanced at the TV and snorted when he noticed we were watching a cartoon about dogs.

"Come and join us," I offered. "I'll share my onigiri with you… which is a tremendous effort, because they're really good."

He sat down beside me and helped himself.

Once I had finished my own dumpling, I craned my neck to kiss his masked cheek. "Thanks. For the food and the dog."

"You're welcome," Pakkun replied in his master's stead. Kakashi's only answer was an eye-smile.

An hour later, Genma showed up, took a look at us and sent a thumbs-up to Kakashi. I pretended I didn't see it. It wasn't so bad when my boyfriends colluded together after all.

oOo

"So? How did you like it?"

I yawned behind my arm but raised a thumb in answer to Genma's excited question.

We were leaving the cinema after watching the movie he had been so eager to see. The fact that it was actually good (and loud) was the only thing keeping me from falling asleep. I had slept terribly the previous nights. Since I knew about my so-called immortality, the nightmares had become much worse and more frequent. I had more fodder for imagining all the ways things could go wrong in my life.

"Not bad. The book was better though," Kakashi replied.

Genma's eyebrows went up. "There is a book?" He wasn't a big reader, unless it was a travel magazine and then there were more pictures than words, although to be fair he actually read the articles and was very knowledgable about the different cultures and regions of the world. Considering I hadn't traveled outside of Fire Country, he regularly taught me details about his own travels, in particular when he was bored and I had letters to write to foreigners (his advice was quite insightful).

"Oh, do you have it?" I asked, leaning on the nearest available shoulder, Genma's. "I'd like to read it." Kakashi's tastes in literature overlapped with mine, in the same way that Genma's cinema preferences mostly matched mine.

"Yes. I'll bring it over."

"Thanks. Although I already have that last one you loaned me. I'm not sure when I'll find time to read them," I admitted in between some more yawning.

"Do you want me to read it to you as a bedtime story?" Genma teased. "You look ready to crash."

"I feel like it," I sighed.

"Here, come on." He crouched to offer me a piggyback ride.

I didn't have the energy to protest. "We shouldn't make this an habit." Although it was fun. The advantage of a shinobi carrying you was that they made it look so effortless that you felt featherweight. I swung my feet a little as we made our way home.

"Do you want to tell us why you have so many nightmares lately?" Kakashi asked. I had woken them up more than once, although it wasn't for lack of trying to be quiet. They were just too high-strung not to notice.

"Not yet. Soon." I needed to come to terms with it first. I had no idea how to breach the subject, how to explain, when I could barely bear the thought. To say it was to accept it. I wasn't ready yet. I needed to talk about it with my mother first and foremost. Her counsel and full understanding of the situation was dearly needed. Unfortunately I hadn't found the time to go see her. I would try this weekend, on my day off.

"Well, we aren't going anywhere," Genma commented.

"Maa, I thought we were going home?"

Genma valiantly tried to kick our boyfriend despite my added weight. "Smartass."

I chuckled at their antics and rubbed my face against Genma's neck. "Thank you for understanding."

oOo Bonus - Kakashi and the ANBU's training oOo

"Something changed with taichou," Tenzou whispered.

"I know right? He hasn't given us chores even once in two days, and he's being all… nice with the rookie," Tora agreed.

"Taichou can be nice," Tenzou protested.

"Sure. It's _taichou_ -nice, like tough love, not… whatever that is," she muttered, gesturing in the direction where Kakashi was patting the newbie's back after the success of the last exercise.

"Well, it's working, isn't it? Kou didn't try to skewer us even once."

"Right… but what happened? Is it a genjutsu do you think?"

Another of their teammates joined the conversation, hanging upside down from the branch above them. "He's going soft. I bet that's his new girlfriend's doing."

"The Yondaime's assistant? Dude, where did you get the idea she's soft? I saw her dress Danzou down," Tora replied.

"She's a no-kill, always going around with kids."

"So?" Tenzou replied disapprovingly. "You shouldn't judge a comrade on the number of their kills."

"Yeah, and what do you have against kids?" Tora added, miffed. She liked kids too: her brothers and sisters were important to her.

"Don't you see? She's manipulat—"

They jolted as they were hit by a weak lightning jutsu, paralysing them for a few seconds and causing them to fall to the ground. They scrambled up and kneeled at their leader's feet. Kakashi was looking down at them with his arms crossed, unimpressed, while their teammates watched in the background.

"Do you want to share with the rest of the team what has got you so distracted?" Kakashi drawled, his visible eye half-closed.

"No, taichou! Sorry, taichou!" they shouted in unison.

"I see," Kakashi said, letting the silence settle for a few seconds, during which everyone wondered if his recent kindness would continue… "Two hundred push-ups, crunches and squats each. Then go inform the ANBU commander you volunteer for night watch duty for a week."

"Yes, taichou!" The three offenders shouted, immediately getting in position for their exercices.

"Going soft?" Tora hissed to her teammate. "Bite your fucking tongue!"

* * *

 _A lot of relationship building here guys, I hope you liked it... because trouble will come back soon, and for once it won't be for Maiko (she needs some rest after all)._

 _ **Sage Thrasher** edited this chapter and helped me in particular with Anko's characterization (I have difficulty writing her, I hope it wasn't too bad). She's the best, did I tell you that recently? Now you know._

 _Also, I went through the first chapters of this story to make some corrections (every mistake reported to me should have been fixed), and I added some brand new bonus/omake where there weren't before, so if you go check chapters 1 to 4 you'll find some new content at the end._


	20. Burns and passion

I found my mother in the Nursing Home's garden. She was reading in the sun, looking positively fabulous like always. Midori was an inspiration to me. She had lost so much due to her disability: her job, her independence, and most of her freedom. Yet, I had never seen her give up. As the degenerative disease progressed, she fought tooth and nails to keep as much as she could. If she had resigned herself to the medic-nin's diagnosis, she would be paralyzed from the neck down by now. She had an iron will and… she'd just thrown a stone at me.

I dodged and raised my hands in exasperation. "Good day to you too, okaa-san."

"Young girl, you're _late_."

"My apologies." I bowed from the waist. I didn't want to dodge another stone for failing to be polite (shinobi education was a synonym for tough love). I went to hug her only once she gestured for me to step forward.

"I missed you, dear, and you know I worry with your recent habit of getting in trouble."

"Sorry, okaa-san. I had a difficult week," I explained as we went toward the nearest bench where I could sit.

"Well, at least you look better than when I came to see you at the hospital," she said while patting my cheek. "Did your boys take good care of you, then?"

I had told her when I started to date Genma. They had first met while I was in a coma and apparently sympathized about "all the trouble I gave them" (Genma's words). Since then, they'd been as thick as thieves. While that was great, I bet it was going to bite me in the ass later. Those two together was a promise for a lot of sass and jokes at my expense. Midori had even told him childhood anecdotes about me, which was just unfair: he had a lot more material on me than I had on him. I needed to meet his family to even the playing field.

I had never told her about Kakashi however, but she had discovered the truth while they waited for me to wake up. They didn't tell her, but she just needed a look at the three of us in the same room (even with me unconscious) to make her own conclusions. As an infiltrator, she was used to unveiling secrets with just a few clues.

The first thing she had said about it when I had woken up was: "Mai-chan, I taught you so well. Not one but _two_ boyfriends at your beck and call? I'm so proud." I was glad to have her approval, but she made it sound a little too creepy and calculated for my taste (which, I guessed, was something I should get used to: that was the kind of comments I should expect from strangers once the news spread).

She seemed to scare Kakashi a little, because he always found a reason to flee when she was mentioned. That made me wonder what she could have said to him… something indecent, maybe. I didn't think he would react this way if she had threatened him, and it wasn't her style either. Making inquiries about our sex life, however… yes, I could see that.

"Yes okaa-san, they did," I replied before giving her a brief recap of my life these last weeks.

"There is something you're not telling me," she pointed out when I stopped for a few seconds.

I sighed and nodded. "Can we speak somewhere more private?"

"I won't like this, will I?"

We went back inside. I closed her bedroom's door behind us, sat on the bed while she stayed in her wheelchair, and told her of my 'immortality' in a hushed voice. She took a few seconds to come to terms with the news, but her fingers closed around mine and squeezed tightly.

"Every time… every time I think we're done with the consequences of this… every time I learn something worse," she said hoarsely. "Your grandfather hurt you so much."

"And you," I whispered.

She shook her head and bit her bottom lip. I squeezed her hands once in sympathy.

"Who knows?" she asked after a few seconds.

"The Hokage and I. I'm hoping Orochimaru didn't understand, but that's probably wishful thinking."

"Your boys?"

"Not yet. I… I don't know how to tell them."

"You need to."

"I know, but how?"

"Just like you told me. They already know everything they need to understand, don't they? Trust them like you trusted me. If they make a big deal out of it, just give them a good kick in the shin."

I snorted. "We're not like you and dad, okaa-san. They are faster than me. They'll dodge."

"Oh, I'm sure you'll find some way for payback. I didn't raise an idiot."

I chuckled and nodded. She was right like always. I shouldn't make a big deal out of it. They were probably going to take their cue from me: if I could be reasonable about it, then they would be too. "But… kaa-chan, what if it happens?" I whispered. "What if I'm stuck in a mutilated corpse or something like that?"

She bracketed my face between her hands and leaned close, until our foreheads touched. "That's why you need to trust people, my little girl. Contingency plans, remember? If the worst happens, be prepared, and make sure that someone will have your back. Trust them to do right by you. Your team has your back."

"I don't have a team," I murmured as tears threatened to fall.

"Oh, sweetie, of course you do. Those who cherish you are the best team you could ever hope for, and there are more of them than you believe. Your room was a crowded place when you were in a coma, you know? You made a very poor conversationalist, but I couldn't say the same of your visitors. I had some great fun playing shogi with the new Jounin Commander. I had a lot of stimulating discussions with that funny boyfriend of yours, and I exchanged some book recommendations with the other one..."

"Kaa-chan," I interrupted as I sniffled to hold back the tears.

"Yes, sweetie?"

"Stop traumatizing Kakashi."

"Aww, but where is the fun in that?"

"You're the worst," I mumbled. "You suggested that awful book, didn't you?"

She squeezed my cheeks, making me feel like a chubby kid. "I love you too darling, I love you too."

I escaped her grasp and facepalmed. "No wonder he can't bear to hear your name anymore if that reminds him of hardcore porn."

I welcomed the knock at the door that got us away from this embarrassing subject of discussion; even more so when my dear cousin Izumo entered once Midori called him in.

After we greeted each other, he held out a package to Midori. "Here's the new yukata okaa-san made you. She'll come by tonight to see if there is any alteration needed, and she offered to take you out for dinner."

"How wonderful. Izuna spoils me. Thank you Izu-kun."

I leaned on my cousin's shoulder as we idly discussed the latest gossip and news. When it was time for us to leave, I promised Midori to come and see her sooner now that I felt better. It had been some time since our last lunch together too; I would have to remember that.

"How are you?" Izumo asked as we left the nursing home.

"Getting better," I replied, glancing at him distractedly. "Say, Izumo, remind me how old you are?"

He squinted at me, no doubt feeling like I was going somewhere with this. "Fifteen. Sixteen in two months."

"Yes, yes," I murmured as I tapped my chin in thought. Midori had said I needed to trust people I cherished. She was right. Izumo was like a brother to me. He had been kept away from all the family secrets because he'd been too young to understand, but he had always been here for me, and now I felt like I owed him the truth. It's not like my crazy grandfather was his too, since he was my maternal grandfather, but the grandmother we had in common had been a hero. He should know about that, and… he also deserved to know the truth about his crazy cousin, aka me. "So, do you have some time to talk in private? Make sure you have a few hours to freak out a little before anything serious though."

"That's not foreboding at all," he said as he scratched his chin cover. "I'm leaving on a mission in six hours."

"That will do. You're wise and mature enough to get back to normal by then." I breathed in and started the long story of my second life.

On one hand, he was still looking at me as if I was going to spontaneously combust when he left to prepare for his mission. On the other hand, he thought it was the coolest thing he had ever heard instead of the creepiest thing ever, so… that went rather well. I expected to be interrogated as soon as he came back, once he got time to think of a thousand questions. He seemed to be fascinated by the concept of another world and wanted to learn more about it, which was more or less a first (Minato had been interested but by a few details only).

"I won't let anything happen to you," were the last words he said before leaving, in reference to the revelation of my pathetic form of immortality.

"So you are prepared to reduce me to ashes if you have to?" I tried to joke. It was a bad one, and I was going to apologize as soon as I realized it, but Izumo nodded solemnly.

"I've got your back nee-san, always," he promised before disappearing.

After a second of surprise, I snorted. I should remember I was talking to shinobi who had been taught young that death was preferable to a lot of things, including capture, torture, dishonor and uselessness. To kill an ally in those conditions when it was requested was an act of mercy. It was an old concept, but it was still true in the most dire situations. I didn't have to worry about requesting this; it just went without saying.

I rubbed my face as I looked out the window. We had come to my apartment to speak in private. Kakashi and Genma were working. The former was preparing for a mission: he would leave tomorrow morning for weeks. I wanted to tell them at the same time, and I couldn't wait for so long. I was going to speak to them tonight.

oOo

Unfortunately, Genma had other plans. He had accepted an invitation for us for an evening with friends. Considering it was just Raidou, Rin and Gai, it wouldn't have been a problem if he had actually asked us before saying yes.

Kakashi and I had been reading on the couch, waiting for him to come home for dinner. When he announced the news to us, the faces we made were clearly not those he was expecting.

"What?" He asked.

Kakashi was stone-faced, which was a clear sign that this wasn't filling him with joy. "I'm leaving at six tomorrow morning, Genma. My plan for the evening was sleep," he pointed out.

"And I was actually hoping to use our last evening together to speak to you about that thing that bothered me this week," I added.

Genma raised his hands to the ceiling, his senbon moving agitatedly. "Fine, I'm going to cancel!" he shouted. He didn't bother to hide his displeasure. To be fair, it had been some time since we all went out with friends, and he was a much more social man than us.

I could see this was going to spoil our evening. This was the last thing we needed when one of us was going to leave for so long.

"Wait," I called before he could leave in a huff. "Why don't we compromise? We go, but Kakashi is free to leave as soon as he wants to get some sleep."

Kakashi hesitated and then shrugged. "Sure. I can even go back to my flat so I wouldn't be bothered by you coming back later."

Genma relaxed slowly. "Fine with me. But what about what you wanted to say, Maiko?"

I was going to offer to tell it to everyone then quickly backtracked. I was getting ahead of myself there. Explaining everything to Izumo was one thing: he was family, but explaining it to friends was different. While Rin knew some of it, she didn't know everything. Raidou might have understood some snippets. Gai was in the dark though. What's more, some parts of my life were now confidential, I tended to forget that. I couldn't go and talk about my life with just anyone… even if I wanted to get promises from them that no-one was going to leave me as some living dead abomination.

My hesitation came through. Genma shook his head. "You know what? Let's just go and all come back early. You'll tell us before going to sleep. Is that fine?"

"Yeah, sure," I agreed.

"Kakashi?"

Kakashi shrugged as he stood up. "Alright. Just go easy on drinks if we're to have a serious conversation."

"Say that to her. I'm not the lightweight one who wants to fight everyone once tipsy."

I jumped on my feet and protested: "I don't drink that much when no one eggs me on! Now, give me a second, I'm going to put dinner in the fridge."

"You made dinner?" Genma asked, turning toward the kitchen to see the table was made.

Kakashi passed by him to put on his shoes and clapped his shoulder. "We did. Next time, try planning in advance."

Genma winced. "Right. Sorry."

A few minutes later, I locked the door behind us. "Let's go! I don't want Kakashi's bad habit to rub off on us... _Don't_ make a joke about that, Genma!"

He mimed zipping his lips. I felt a sense of déjà vu. This was becoming routine, wasn't it?

We had to travel from roof to roof to make up for our lateness, but we arrived in time at the okonomiyaki restaurant they had agreed on. I was surprised to find out it was one of those which allowed you to make your own okonomiyaki on a hot plate built into the table.

"I've never made one," I admitted as we sat down.

"Never?" Rin asked as she settled in front of me. "Kakashi is really good at it: he can show you or do your own if you want."

I glanced to my left. Kakashi shrugged in a mix of modesty and agreement. After a second, I spun around toward my right. "Wait. Can _you_ do okonomiyaki?"

"I resent the doubt in your voice, darling," Genma replied, raising a hand to his heart. "It's not hard. You just mix everything together, and then it's like barbecue. It's actually one of the only things I know how to cook, mostly because the ingredients are already prepared."

"Good to know," I said before being distracted by noise on my other side.

Gai was staring intently at Kakashi, and I suddenly realized what a bad idea it was for them to sit face to face. Kakashi was ignoring his 'rival', but as soon as the ingredients were brought to us, he sighed and relented: "Just once, Gai. _One_ okonomiyaki only."

"Yes!" Gai shouted in delight, his fist raised. "I shall vanquish my eternal rival in a conquest of speed and cooking talent, and I shall win or else I'll beg Chouza-sensei's wife to teach me her ways!"

"What?" I said. While I knew about those weird and impromptu challenges, it was the first time I witnessed one of them. Were they really going to have a cooking competition?

"Rin-chan, would you kindly be our referee?" Gai asked.

Looking accustomed to this position, Rin put away her own ingredients and took out a watch. "Ready? Set… Go."

In a blink of an eye, the ingredients were mixed, set on the griddle and shaped into a circle with spatulas. I was only able to see it cook because they couldn't hurry the time necessary for it, but I barely saw them flip the okonomiyaki onto the other side. The toppings then seemed to magically appear on it. Both of them announced "Done" at the same time.

"It's a tie," Rin concluded cheerfully before going back to her own meal.

While Gai made a face, Kakashi started to peacefully eat his okonomiyaki.

I shook my head. "I have barely seen anything you did so… can you do mine?"

Gai brightened up and moved to grab Rin's ingredients. She slapped his hand away. Kakashi and she said firmly: "No, Gai!"

"I'd like Kakashi to teach me, Gai-san. It means I actually need to see what he's doing," I said to soften his disappointment.

"Of course. I understand, Maiko-san. My apologies!"

The rest of the evening progressed much more calmly. I learned how to make okonomiyaki. We discussed each other's life, which was also synonymous with gossip, although no shinobi would admit it (it was intel, not gossip!). I discovered that Iwashi had finally agreed to have children, but only after he married his girlfriend, and we were all invited to the wedding (apparently I had missed the invitation during my coma). Raidou and Rin were now in conjugal bliss, their discrete affection was a pleasure to see. And Gai… didn't know that Kakashi was in a relationship. _That_ shattered the tranquility we enjoyed until now.

"Gai-san, what's wrong?" I asked worriedly.

He had doubled up and only Rin's quick reflex had stopped him from touching the griddle in front of him. Instead he was sprawled on the ground.

Did he disapprove of our relationship? That was worrying. Even if Kakashi wouldn't admit it, their friendship was extremely important to him. I thought that Gai would be delighted but maybe…

"Gai, would you stop your dramatics?" Genma sighed. He was unimpressed, leaning with an elbow on the corner of the table, his chin on his fist. "You're worrying my girlfriend, and everyone is looking at us like we burned you. I'm not getting kicked out of the restaurant because of you."

Gai straightened and removed his hands from his face, showing the streams of tears going down his cheeks. That wasn't a pretty sight. He went to grab Kakashi's hands but failed. "My eternal rival! How youthful of you! You beat me on the matters of the heart!"

I blinked repeatedly as I realized what this was all about.

Gai raised a fist to his face and kept crying. "And now how could I ever beat you when you have not one but two sweethearts!"

"Don't call me Kakashi's sweetheart," Genma grumbled with a sigh.

"I would have never imagined that your hip attitude hid so much love and passion ready to be discovered by the most daring and worthy souls!" Gai continued. He was on a roll and no-one could stop him. "I'm in awe of your loving and sparkling relationship! I can only wish to ever find half of the treasures you're now basking in! But I shall not despair! Soon, I will join you in the land of conjugal bliss..."

He went on and on, which was a wonder to see, but Kakashi had risen (without Gai's knowledge, who had closed his eyes in his fervor) and pulled me to my feet. "Time to go," he signed discreetly. Genma was already standing.

I felt bad leaving like this, but it was already nine past twenty and neither Rin nor Raidou seemed shocked by our departure. They were rather expecting it and both signed a "we'll handle it" before making goodbyes.

"Isn't that a little mean?" I asked once we were outside of the restaurant.

"Nah," Genma said. "Believe me, I was his teammate for years. When Gai is in this state, it's better to let him ride it out without getting your own ears bleeding. Once he processed it, he'll find us, and we'll be able to talk normally rather than listen to a monologue. Plus, I would have ended up bursting into laughter around his second tirade about Kakashi's love and passion anyway. _That_ would have upset him and get him started in another longer monologue."

"Alright. You're his friends, I'll trust you on that." After all, I wouldn't know how to deal with Gai.

We went back to my apartment and prepared for bed.

"So," Genma said as we were sitting on our futons, "come on, end the suspense: what's bothering you?"

I buried my fingers in my hair as I pushed it back. I was determined to tell them everything, but now that I had to the words failed me. They were stuck in my throat, ready to choke me and drown me in anxiety if I didn't just let them out. I crossed my legs, took a deep breath and blurted out: "Yondaime-sama told me something that terrified me." I explained as clearly as I could, but I couldn't look at them as I did so, it would have been too hard to stay focused. "So you see, I'm scared of being trapped in a decaying body — or something equally disturbing — for eternity! I mean, can't I die like anybody else for once? Give me a break! I didn't believe in an afterlife, but that didn't mean I don't want a nice quiet death—"

Genma grabbed my face between his hands and interrupted my rant with a kiss. I immediately deflated and leaned into him. He hushed me as soon as I tried to speak, petting my cheek gently. "There, there, darling. That won't happen, alright? We won't let it happen."

I felt Kakashi lean over my back, his chin on my shoulder and an arm around my waist. "Minato-sensei will fix it. In the meantime, you're safe."

I nodded but burrowed a little deeper in their embrace. The firm contact was grounding as much as reassuring.

For once, Kakashi allowed me to cuddle against his side while we went to sleep.

oOo

Two weeks later, I was at the Hokage mansion in the middle of preparations for Naruto's fourth birthday. While Mikoto had offered to take care of it, Minato had insisted to do it himself, feeling it was his role as as a father. Unfortunately, an unexpected political argument was currently keeping his attention. Knowing he would be upset about failing his son and sacrifice his sleep if necessary, Yoshino and I had taken it upon ourselves to take care of everything left. If he didn't insist about bothering us as little as possible with his personal life, it would be our job anyway.

"Maiko."

Recognizing Genma's voice, I threw over my shoulder: "Hey. Is it dinner time already? Just let me finish this." The orange furoshiki, a traditional wrapping cloth, was really pretty and I didn't want to wrinkle it.

"Maiko, it's about Kakashi."

I froze. His grave tone scared me. Slowly, I turned around to see him. He was grim. My heart grew heavy and a shiver went down my spine.

"What happened?"

"His team brought him back. He's badly hurt."

I shoved the gift into a closet, closed it and jumped on my feet. "How bad? Can I see him?"

"I came to fetch you as soon as I had the green light. Medics managed to stabilize him. He's out of danger."

"Oh, thank Kami," I breathed, reaching for Genma.

He hugged me and rested his cheek on my hair. "I have to warn you though… he doesn't look pretty. I know I have always been the most handsome, but still."

I snorted and tugged on a strand of hair. "Bring me to him, handsome."

Thanks to Genma, I was allowed inside the restricted area where Kakashi was kept. He was in an observation room. I couldn't go inside, but I saw him covered in bandages from head to toe.

I pressed my hands to my face and tried to keep an even breathing, repeating to myself that his prognostic was good. He would be fine. It would be alright. Still, I settled in Genma's arms as we watched the medics leave the room. I had barely recognized Rin and Tsunade with all the sterile equipment they were wearing.

"How is he?" I blurted out as soon as they were out and free from their masks.

"Badly burnt," Rin explained sombrely. "That's why you aren't allowed inside. I'm sorry, but the skin needs to heal first to avoid any infection."

I nodded distractedly. "Of course. But he'll be fine, right?"

"It's mostly superficial second degree burns. His teammates gave him first aid, which prevented anything too deep, so he should avoid most scarring and after-effects."

I glanced at Tsunade, who was staying unusually quiet and who shouldn't even be here for simple burns: she was content with her role of consultant. There was something else going on and I asked: "But?"

Although Rin hesitated, Tsunade didn't: "There is something wrong with his Sharingan."

"How so?" Genma asked.

"It seems to have evolved, but it's something I have never seen."

Evolved? Kakashi's Sharingan was already at the three tomoe stage, all there was left was… the Mangekyou Sharingan. "What happened?" I blurted out. "What happened during his mission?"

"That's classified," Genma said.

"I know that!" I replied, annoyed. I would have asked sooner if it wasn't. "Where's Hokage-sama? I'll ask him!"

"I'm here, Mai—"

Minato was walking toward us with several ANBU. I rushed to him and blurted out: "Was it Tobi? Did he fight Tobi?"

Minato hesitated but nodded. "You know what's wrong with his Sharingan?"

"If it's what I think, it's nothing _wrong_ per say. Well, yes, it is, in a way but… whatever. I need to know what happened when they fought. Was Kakashi put under a genjutsu? Or did one of his teammates die? Or…" I looked for explanations of how someone Kakashi loved could have died. I was a little ashamed when the most obvious one came last. "Did he kill Tobi? Or someone else did?"

Minato glanced to an ANBU by his side, in a silent invitation to reply.

"We thought so," the young man said. "But in the end, the person taichou killed was some sort of clone."

"But Kakashi thought he had killed him?"

"Yes."

"That would have done it."

"Done what, Maiko?" Minato asked.

"Uh… I don't think you would want me to explain in front of everyone."

I was immediately brought to an adjacent room. Tsunade closed the door behind her, Rin and Genma.

"There is another stage to the Sharingan. It's supposed to be super-secret and most people, even among the Uchiha, don't know about it. It's awakened when they witness the death of someone they love," I explained. "It grants abilities that are specific to each user. For Obito, it's Kamui, his teleportation technique. Since Kakashi's eye is the same as Obito's, he'll get the same ability." Now that I thought about it, in canon, they had awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan because of Rin's death. In this reality, Obito had somehow awaken it despite Rin living (in the same way he had turned against Konoha maybe? Genjutsu? Madara must have mentally tortured him, the bastard), but not Kakashi… until now. Despite knowing Obito was the enemy, it must have been a shock for him to kill him — or at least a clone. I hoped he would talk about it with someone when he woke up, if not me then his sensei or Rin maybe.

"That's awesome," Genma said.

"Why did you imply it could be a bad thing then?" Rin added.

I made a face and admitted: "It requires a lot of chakra and puts a strain on the body. It also leads to blindness. The more you use it, the faster your vision deteriorates." Kakashi would become one-eyed instead of completely blind at least, but the price to pay was high — too much in my opinion.

"Shit," Genma sighed, pursing his lips around his senbon.

"I'll need to study it, to see if anything can be done about it," Tsunade told the Hokage, who nodded in agreement. "For now, we can only wait for him to wake up, but he's going to stay in artificial coma for a few days to allow better skin regeneration."

oOo

As soon as Kakashi was taken out of coma and the sterile room, I was by his side for most of my free time.

"Yo," I said the first time he opened his eyes while I was present.

The bottom of his face was hidden by the sheets, but I knew he smiled. That simple thing soothed me.

"Water?" I offered. At his small nod, I helped him drink. I waited for him to settle before teasing him: "So, you were jealous of all the time I spent sleeping, weren't you? I get it. The burns are a little unnecessary though."

"Agreed," he replied. He was still covered in bandages, although his face was mostly unscathed.

I played with his hair, gently pushing it away from his eyes. His left eye was closed. I gently tapped under it. "Do you know? About your Sharingan?"

He hummed in confirmation.

"I'm sorry, Kakashi," I whispered. "It must have been hard… fighting him to death."

He nodded but didn't say anything. I gathered that he didn't want to talk about it, at least not with me, as I thought. I didn't push and simply caressed his cheek to give him some comfort.

"Rin said you knew I would get it? Obito's teleportation technique?" he asked after a moment of silence.

I blushed a little. "Actually, I had kinda forgotten… it came back to me when they said there was something wrong with your Sharingan."

"Can I fight him? Obito?"

"Your Kamui is as strong as his, if that's what you're asking… but I'm pretty sure they cancel each other, actually."

"That's good. I can counter him."

"Yes, but the price is high, Kakashi," I warned him, worried he would overdo it. "It's a last resort only."

He grunted in understanding. "I will need time to master it anyway."

The door slid open and Genma came in saying: "I bought ramen." He did a double take before grinning. "Hey, sleeping beauty. Good to see you awake."

"Maa, are you camping in my room?" Kakashi muttered.

"Yes, actually," I replied while accepting the cup Genma held out. "I would offer you some of mine, but I'm pretty sure you aren't allowed any, I'm sorry. I will bring you some good food as soon as Rin says I can, I promise."

"It's fine, I'm not hungry," he replied. He was staring at me intently though while I pulled apart my chopsticks.

I became a little self-conscious and smiled uneasily. "What is it?"

"Gimme a kiss," he murmured so low that I barely heard him. I needed a second to convince myself that was truly what he said. I put aside my dinner and stood up to carefully touch his lips. Not satisfied by the soft caress, he deepened the kiss. "Missed you," he murmured with a half-closed eye.

I grinned. "I missed you too."

"I'm not kissing you," Genma announced from his seat on the other side. He had a leg up, with his ankle resting on his knee, and he was eating his ramen with gusto. "You stink, and I bet your mouth tastes bad after all this time in coma."

I threw the ramen bowl's lid at him. "Would you shut up, you git? See if I kiss _you_ the next time you end up in the hospital."

"Come on darling, I didn't say you were the one who stunk," Genma whined, but he winked not so discretely at Kakashi.

"Just eat your ramen in silence, or I'll kick you out of my flat."

"No, you won't. She's been needing a lot of cuddles since we learned you got hurt. Thanks for that buddy, I appreciate it."

"That's it, no sex for you," I concluded, rudely pointing at him with my chopsticks.

"Maa, as entertaining as this is, I do hope you came here for more than bickering," Kakashi interrupted.

"Sorry. Are you getting tired? We can go if you want."

"Darling, he's jesting," Genma pointed out before turning toward Kakashi. "Don't tease her. She would build you a blanket fort if you told her that would help."

"I would," I confirmed immediately. "Actually, I brought you several books — including your favorites and the ones on your to-read list — several pyjamas, clothes, underwears, toiletries… It's all here," I said as I lifted a bag. "Do you need anything else? Did I forget something? I promise I'll bring you snacks soon, really…"

"Geez, now I want to be hurt so I get the special treatment."

"Shiranui Genma, if you get hurt because you just jinxed yourself, you're looking toward months of abstinence, I swear. Don't you _dare_ ," I warned him with a pointed glare.

Kakashi snorted as the idiot of our triade pretended to seal his lips and raise his hands in surrender. "I'm fine, Maiko. It seems you thought of everything."

"I tried. I know how much you hate hospitals, and I would appreciate it if you could stay as long as Rin demands for once."

"Ah. Bribery."

"Of course. What did you think this was about?" I replied with a lopsided smile.

Genma chuckled and twirled his chopsticks between his fingers. "Notice how she said 'Rin' and not 'medics'."

"I noticed. She knows me."

oOo

Kakashi's recovery went well. Not well enough for him to be leaving anytime soon though, so I wasn't pleased when, a few days later, I found him standing, dressed and ready to leave out of the window.

"What are you doing?" I shouted — a little more shrilly than I had planned but hell if he didn't deserve bleeding ears for trying to pull this shit.

"Ah, Mai-chan, I was just… admiring the view," he said, leaning on the windowsill as if he wasn't going to climb on it a minute before.

"And I'm the daimyo's wife," I replied deadpan, as I threw the bento box I had brought on the bedside table. "Kakashi, you're not in any way ready to leave. That's not reasonable even for you."

"It's October twelfth… isn't it?"

I understood.

Officially, Naruto's birthday was two days ago, but his party was today. It was never celebrated on the tenth, due to the village's homage to the dead from the Kyuubi attack. Naruto was fine with it because his father spoiled him on both days to make up for the delay.

"You want to go to Naruto's party?"

"He would be disappointed if I didn't show."

"He would understand. He knows you're hurt. He came to see you two days ago just so you could wish him his birthday."

"It isn't the same. If I show up he would be surprised and even happier."

I pursed my lips, staring at his bandaged hands. I didn't like it at all, but I understood his motivations and, when I thought about it, Rin would be there, so he would be safe even if he overdid it, right? Unless I tied him to the bed (and even like that, he could probably escape most knots, the genius), he would manage to take off anyway. When he had something in mind, no-one could stop him.

The door opening brusquely stopped me in my thoughts.

"Kakashi! How is my eternal rival doing today? Oh, and Maiko-san, hello!"

I grinned widely. "Gai-san! Perfect timing!"

Kakashi immediately feared the worst. "No."

I put my hands on my hips and tilted my head pointedly. "Either Gai is carrying you or we're taking a rolling chair, but you're not walking or jumping there. Your choice."

Which is how I ended up running after Gai carrying Kakashi on his back. Despite his burden, I still ended up breathless when we arrived at the Hokage mansion with him ahead of me. Crouching on the roof to catch my breath, I chuckled at Naruto's exuberant greeting of his older brother. Kakashi was protected from Rin and Minato's questioning by a gaggle of children surrounding him excitedly, although I couldn't be sure which he would have found preferable.

I watched the party with a tender smile. It seemed everything was going well: Naruto was enjoying himself tremendously, his voice carrying in the courtyard as he gathered his friends for a game. Several parents had stayed to spend time with the Hokage, including the Nara and the Uchiha, and they were all inside enjoying some tea.

I had the day off — contrary to Genma who was somewhere around — and, since I had planned to spend it with Kakashi, I had nowhere to be. I settled on the warm tiles of the roof, basking in the sunlight and taking a few minutes to simply enjoy the moment. The opportunities to relax were few and far between.

The Hokage's arrival startled me. I straightened, ready for any request. However, he simply sat by my side with his forearms on his knees as he looked down on his son and students with a soft smile.

"You should join us, Maiko," he said.

"Oh, I wouldn't—"

"If only to rescue Kakashi from Gai's exuberance."

I chuckled at the jest but didn't move, and Minato wasn't in a hurry either. It seems he had something in mind. I waited patiently for him to speak up.

"Thank you for your help organizing Naruto's birthday. I wish I could have done it on my own, but…"

I glanced at him and noticed the wistful spark in his eyes. This period was always difficult for him. It might be the birthday of his son, but it was also the anniversary of his wife's death. I suspected it was the main reason why he postponed the party for Naruto: he didn't have the heart to celebrate on the tenth. I hesitated briefly before reaching out for his hand and patting it tentatively. The man looked like he needed a hug, but I wasn't that bold. As it is, as soon as he looked at me, I blushed and rested my hands firmly on the tiles, looking right in front of me. I cleared my throat and replied: "It doesn't make you less of a father… that you aren't the one taking care of every last detail for your son's party. I understand that you wish you could do more for him, but don't doubt for an instant that you're a good father. You do the best you can."

When no answer came, I looked at him from the corner of my eyes and noticed the peaceful smile on his lips. My shoulders loosened, and we stayed in companionable silence for a while.

"Come in and try this pie that mysteriously appeared in the kitchen this morning. It's excellent," Minato said as he stood up.

I chuckled and nodded. "Yes, Hokage-sama."

I would have made waffles for Naruto, but I wanted him to eat some fruits today. Everyone liked apple pie.

oOo Kakashi's and Minato's PoV oOo

Kakashi bit into the slice of apple pie he had been given and waited patiently for his sensei to speak up. The kids had gotten bored with him and were playing some sort of game in the backyard — it wasn't any he was familiar with, which made him feel old and asocial. The adults had gathered for tea in an adjacent room.

Minato and he were sitting on the patio, apparently alone, although some ANBU weren't far. Sounds of conversation and laughter reached them as sunlight dwindled. Kakashi certainly appreciated these surroundings more than his hospital's room.

"I'm sorry to ask this of you, considering the risks in using this technique, Kakashi," Minato finally said, "but I need you to learn how to use Kamui."

After a few seconds, Kakashi nodded. "I understand." He didn't bother to explain he would have learned it anyway. As Minato sighed and lowered his head in regret, Kakashi held out the rest of his apple pie under his nose. "Stop worrying, sensei. If Obito can do it, it will be easy."

Minato chuckled, but he didn't accept the pie. "I got words from Utakata-san. He has been successful so far. We can only hope that warning all jinchuuriki of the danger will work in our favor."

Kakashi finished his treat and shrugged, immediately regretting it when it pulled on his sensitive skin. "At least we threw a wrench in Akatsuki's gears. Obito said so himself."

The Yondaime hummed in agreement, but he didn't look convinced. Fair enough: it was his job to plan for the worst option. After a minute, he shook his head and smiled. "Thank you for coming, even if it wasn't very wise. Naruto was overjoyed."

"Maa, I only came for the food."

Footsteps covered the noise of Minato's amusement, and they glanced at Maiko coming toward them with a tea tray. Two cups were on it, clearly separated. She presented one to the Yondaime before offering the other to Kakashi.

"My pain medication is in it, isn't it?" He asked with a weary expression.

"Yes. Rin's orders. Or else Gai brings you back to the hospital right away. Her words," Maiko replied with a grin, glad to have the support of a medic to order him around.

Kakashi sighed but swallowed the cup in one go and then pointedly raised his face toward her. She smiled and leaned forward to kiss the corner of his lips. "Love you too. Can I bring you back anything else? Kakashi? Yondaime-sama?"

"That will be all, thank you."

She bowed and disappeared toward the kitchen.

"I'm happy for you," Minato said. "Genma, Maiko and you… You all make a good team. I'm glad you have them."

Kakashi hummed and rubbed the bridge of his nose as the bitter taste of the medication rested on his tongue. Soon the itchiness he was ignoring would recede. "I'm not sure what I'm doing," he admitted. "I'm not one for a conventional relationship so a triad…?"

"I can see it. You all balance each other. They're both good for you. Maiko spoils you, and kami knows you deserve some pampering," Minato said, ignoring the noise of protest from his student, "while Genma is more down to earth."

"They would be better without me."

"That doesn't seem to be their opinion, and I trust them on that one. You're biased."

They barely blinked when hands came to rest on their shoulders and Rin leaned between them to chirp: "I agree!" She laughed, jumped in front of them and held out her hands to help them stand: "Come on, you two. It's time to open gifts! I hope Naruto likes mine!"

"Of course he will, those pyjamas are _orange_ ," Kakashi pointed out as he let himself be dragged forward.

Minato watched them tenderly, the heaviness in his heart diminishing a little as he basked in this family moment.

* * *

 _Thanks to **Sage Thrasher** for editing this chapter._


	21. Family

It was the end of October. The weather had cooled down, and leaves were changing colors.

Sitting on a bench not far from some woody training grounds, I was taking the time to appreciate the moment: an occasion that had become rarer as my life had sped up into an intense rhythm since I had revealed my foreknowledge.

The clangs from blades hitting each other had stopped a few minutes ago in the nearby clearing. Soon, Itachi would take this way to go back to the Uchiha compound while the rest of his genin team would take the road to the city center.

I waited patiently. The wind tried to pull my hair from its braid, but it held steady, contrary to my poor eyes that watered due to the aggression. I gave in and closed my eyes, focusing on sounds rather than sight.

I barely heard him. I suspected that he purposefully made noise to not startle me once he noticed me. It was a kind thought (that I wouldn't have expected from my boyfriends, for example). I smiled as I looked at him.

"Hello Itachi-kun."

He stopped in front of me and bowed his head. "Good morning, Maiko-san."

I patted the bench next to me. "How is your team? Do you like it?"

"It is nice to have a team," he replied diplomatically as he sat beside me.

I hummed, thinking about pointing out he hadn't really answered my question but decided against it. If he didn't want to talk about it, it wasn't my place to push. Still, I gently adjusted a few strands of hair around his round and cute little face. He was still so young: nine years old if I wasn't mistaken. People predicted he would participate in a Chunin Exam next year, and everyone expected him to succeed on the first try, of course. "You know, it's alright if that team isn't everything you hoped for," I said.

He looked up from the squirrel he was staring at, raising big but solemn eyes on me.

"I know that everyone talks about a genin team being the best team in your life, with all those great memories you share of learning and growing together, and it's great when it happens this way, but sometimes it doesn't, and that's fine. Especially for you, Itachi-kun. We both know you won't stay with them for as long as most genin. You'll grow, and you'll get other teams. You'll meet new people, who understand you and accept you better. You'll share memories and friendship. If you have to wait a little more, that's alright. I promise you it's worth it."

His stare was intense, as if he was trying to weigh my words and detect lies. "What if I never have a team like everyone else describes?"

"Well, that's alright too, because then you'll just have to make your own team of people you like. Maybe they won't be those you bring on a mission, but they'll be those you come back home to, and that's just as important."

He looked away as he thought it through.

I smiled and poked his nose. "See? The people you're thinking of right now. They love you and accept you. Focus on them, Itachi-kun. Love is not a competition. The number of people you cherish and who cherish you is not important."

"Quality over quantity."

"Exactly."

He nodded slowly. "I understand. Thank you, Maiko-san."

"You're welcome. You're good training for my mind-reading skills," I teased, crossing my ankles with a pleased smile.

He looked me in the eye and stated, deadpan: "I knew you had a kekkai genkai."

I laughed. "Oh, I wish!"

Itachi lowered his head to hide his lopsided smile. I pretended not to see it.

"Ah. I got sidetracked. I meant to ask you a favor, Itachi-kun."

He straightened a little. His parents had probably warned him about doing favors for others, and he was smart enough to treat the subject with caution. "Yes?"

"You know about Kakashi's — my boyfriend — left eye, right?"

He nodded.

"Well, recently, something happened."

"About his eye?" Itachi asked cautiously.

"Yes. I'm sorry, I can't tell you much yet, but we thought — the Yondaime and I, Kakashi didn't really agree, but he didn't say no either — we thought that he could do with some help."

Itachi took in the information and asked after a few seconds: "Why are you asking me?"

"What happened to Kakashi, it's confidential. We trust _you_ enough to tell you."

He stared at his toes. "I can't share the clan's secrets."

"Oh, I don't think you'll need to." After all, he was more likely to _learn_ Uchiha's secrets than to share any considering the secrecy around the Mangekyou Sharingan. "To be honest, you'll probably spend most of your time being Kakashi's sounding board. He mostly needs someone who can keep up with him. It won't take long, hardly a few hours."

"Can I? keep up with him?"

"If anyone can, it's you." I shrugged and shifted toward him. "I don't want to put you in a difficult situation, Itachi-kun. Think about it. If you have any doubt, just forget I ever asked. We won't be angry. Only if you want to, go to the Hokage mansion any time in the afternoon."

He nodded.

I briefly patted his hand. "If you have any questions, come and find me. If you want me to pay you in sweets, just say so. I'll owe you a favor anyway."

"I'll consider it."

"That's all I ask. Thank you, Itachi-kun."

oOo

Two days later, I was looking over next week's schedule with Yoshino when an ANBU appeared beside us. We looked up at the same time, and the ANBU tilted his head like an owl observing an interesting phenomenon.

"Hokage-sama is asking for you at his mansion, Maiko-san."

"Understood. Thank you." He disappeared and I turned toward Yoshino. "Let's settle on this, and we'll adjust as necessary next week."

"Agreed. If there isn't anything else..."

"Nothing. Go on, don't leave your mother-in-law waiting."

"I wished," Yoshino grumbled, but she was moving back to her desk to nudge her son. Shikamaru was napping on a pillow under his mother's coat. He woke up with a grunt. "We're leaving, Shika-kun. It's time for your grandma's birthday. Say goodbye to Maiko."

I smiled as Shikamaru appeared, disheveled. I chuckled and smoothed his hair as he came to me with half-closed eyes.

"G'night," he mumbled, faceplanting in my stomach and waiting passively for me to hug him.

I crouched to do so, patting his cheek afterward to help him surface. "Good night to you too, teddy bear. I hope those awful nightmares of yours will leave you alone tonight." Lately, Shikamaru had appeared more tired than usual, and he had been napping more and more (truly sleeping, not simply resting). Yesterday, his parents had finally managed to get him to admit he had a lot of nightmares. I wasn't privy to their content, but I was determined to drive them away with a lot of hugs.

"Mai-chan," he mumbled.

"Yes?"

He stayed quiet for a second, his small hands clenching my shirt. "Can you do that thing you did with Naruto yesterday?"

I needed a moment to remember what I had done exactly before it came back to me. I smiled. "Of course." I lifted him in my arms and stood up. He settled his face in the soft space between my neck and shoulder, and I cradled the back of his head gently as I walked around. I had done this with Naruto to help him calm down after a temper tantrum, but I didn't mind giving a bit of comfort to Shikamaru in this way.

I met Yoshino's eye. She was putting on her coat and seemed to be taking note on how I was holding her son. Being maternal still didn't come to her naturally, but she was trying hard. When Shikamaru didn't accompany her to work, she'd always read a book on educational subjects during her free time — she must have an impressive collection by now. It was inspiring to see her determined to address her shortcomings. The more she felt confident in herself as a mother, the more she seemed happy. I couldn't say if she had recovered from her depression yet, but she seemed on the right track.

I smiled encouragingly, and she came forward.

"Do you want your mom to carry you, Shika?" I whispered. Once he nodded, I handed him over to Yoshino, helping her adjust their position so both of them would be comfortable. Then I went to fetch Shikamaru's coat and coaxed him into putting it on, one arm after another. "There. You're ready."

"Thank you, Maiko."

"Anytime, Yoshino. Anytime. Have a good evening. Don't let your mother-in-law bother you, you're doing great." I gave her a thumb-up as she left, and then I hurried to my desk.

The ANBU hadn't said it was urgent, but you didn't leave the Hokage waiting when he summoned you (even if your name was Kakashi — I didn't know if he did it in another universe, but in this one his sensei's disappointed look was deadly).

I closed my desk, checked everything was in order in the office and grabbed my coat. I left by the window to jump on the nearest roof. The ANBU watching over the Hokage's office would close it behind me.

A few minutes later, I jumped down in the mansion's courtyard. I was pleased to see Itachi working with Kakashi, but I didn't want to interrupt them. I landed in front of the Hokage — slightly to the side, to not obstruct his view of the Sharingan wielders. Minato was sitting on the patio with Naruto dozing in his lap. I bowed without a word to not wake the little boy.

"Maiko. You did well by convincing Itachi to help, but I'm afraid it won't be enough."

I looked over my shoulders at the two geniuses sparring. It was hard to say considering their ability to hide their feelings, but they didn't seem to be very friendly. They were completely silent as they fought. "What's the issue?"

Minato rubbed his jaw. "Kakashi puts too much pressure on himself and, in turn, on Itachi too. Although he wouldn't say anything, I do not believe Itachi is pleased with the turn of event."

"Alright then, we should better end this," I sighed.

"A minute of your time before you play referee."

"Of course, Hokage-sama."

"Concerning the jinchuuriki… I have sent a warning to every village sheltering one, but I fear that most of them will take the threat lightly."

"Probably," I agreed.

"So far Utakata is our only real ally, which isn't enough."

"True, but then most jinchuuriki are still young, aren't they? Those who are older don't come from the most friendly villages either."

He nodded thoughtfully. "In theory, from what you told us, we have got time…"

"... but I changed the future by warning you of it, so you can't really depend on what I know."

"Indeed." Minato rubbed his jaw and sighed. "Never mind, this is for me to worry about. Go ahead and take care of your boyfriend."

His smile was teasing, and I bowed my head to hide my flushed cheeks. " _Time out!_ " I shouted toward the training shinobi.

Used to years of training, they separated immediately.

"Thank you so much for coming, Itachi-kun, it's much appreciated. It's getting late though," I explained as I stepped forward.

Itachi nodded and bowed to his silent opponent before coming to me.

"Is there anything I can do to thank you, Itachi-kun?"

"I have been looking forward to trying the chocolate cake you talked about."

"One brownie for you, you got it. Wait… are you going to share it with your chocolate addict of a cousin?" When he only blinked in answer, I chuckled and added: "A big brownie for you then, so you can save some for your brother."

He smiled softly. "Thank you, Maiko-san. Have a good night." He bowed and went to take his leave of Minato.

I went to Kakashi, who was stretching with his Sharingan covered by his eyelid but not his headband.

"Go home," he said. "Don't wait for me. I'll still train for a while."

"I don't think so," I replied, ignoring his frown and his attempt to retort. I pulled down his headband until it hid both eyes. "Rest your eyes. You need to take proper care of them, and you don't need them to beat me anyway."

"I need to train the Sharingan, Maiko." He adjusted the headband but didn't push it back on his forehead.

"You need a break," I replied, removing my tessen from my obi and taking Itachi's place on the training ground. "Come on, it's fun."

It was fun _for me_ , since it was the only time I could ever hope to hit him. We had trained together a few times, and I had learned a lot from him, but it had been rather one-sided until I had the idea to give him handicaps. With one hand, it still had been too easy for him to block me. However, when he was blind, then he had to work and focus a little more.

I kept my fans folded to only hit him with blunt edges — I had managed to touch him a few times during our previous spars.

Kakashi sighed, grasped a kunai and took a defensive position.

I attacked, trying to be as silent as possible and to not be distracted by the cute way Kakashi tilted his head as he listened. In this situation, he couldn't afford to move a lot, his own movements disrupting his hearing. As such, to an outsider, our spar probably looked like I was dancing around him, like a mosquito trying to reach his skin. His blade met my fans in small _tings_ as often as his hand protectors did with duller notes.

Although I had the advantage, I couldn't afford to be complacent: with less awareness of his surroundings, Kakashi couldn't adjust to make sure he wouldn't hurt me. More than once his kunai brushed past me when his parry was a little more forceful than necessary. Thankfully, I was flexible enough to avoid it. Stabbing me wouldn't improve his mood.

After the third time I'd managed to hit him, we switched to hand to hand. It was safer but more difficult for him since there wasn't the sound of a blade ripping through the air to tip him off. I managed to hit him three more times in quick succession before he caught my wrist, twirled me around and pressed my back to his.

He breathed loudly against my ear as he leaned on me. I waited for him to calm down, slowing down my own breathing more easily.

"I need to master this."

"You will," I replied confidently. A shiver went through me as his nose brushed my neck. "Just give yourself time and rest, genius." I patted his hand and tilted my head to press my cheek against his. "Are you ready to come home?"

He let me go, removed his hitai-ate and rubbed his brow. "No."

Before I could do more than swallow my disappointment, a spark of killing intent washed over us. I shuddered and went for my tessen, but Kakashi was already between me and the threat. He wouldn't be fast enough to pull a kunai and parry the projectile sent toward us (no, toward _me_ ) though. I threw myself to the side to avoid getting in the way.

It gave me a perfect view of the spiraling void which materialized around its target, swallowing it until both completely disappeared.

Silence settled in the courtyard.

The killing intent had vanished, and a slow clapping came from the same direction. "There. You got it. Happy? Now stop worrying Mai-chan and let's go home."

I gaped at Genma as he jumped from the roof to land a few meters away from us. Did he just attack us to provoke Kakashi into using Kamui? And it fucking worked?! "Are you crazy?" I shouted, more shrilly than I'd like to admit.

"It was just a rock, Mai-chan," he replied with a dismissing handwave. "Even if the lazy bum had completely failed you, you wouldn't have been hurt."

I straightened and stepped forward. "That's not the issue, you idiot! I can't believe you just used killing intent against us!"

"Ah. _That_."

I poked him in the chest, glaring at him fiercely. " _That?_ That's it? Nothing else to say?"

"Mh… Sorry?" he tried tentatively. "I didn't mean to scare you, it was just to get Kakashi out of his funk. And see, it worked," he said while gesturing at our boyfriend.

I glanced over my shoulder to see Kakashi putting back on his hitai-ate at its usual place. He looked contemplative, until he met my eyes. He eye-smiled. "I'm hungry. Let's go home."

"Oh, Kami," I groaned. "You fucking deserve each other." I raised my hands in annoyance and walked away. Those two were going to be the death of me.

"What are we eating, Mai-chan?" Kakashi shouted at my back.

"Genma is buying!" I shouted back.

"I saw that one coming," the guilty party sighed. "Alright, ramen it is. See if I ever help you again anytime soon, Kakashi."

"Maa, I didn't ask you to target our girlfriend with KI."

"Oh, come on, it was so weak I'm surprised you even considered it a threat."

"You targeted Maiko."

"Of course I did, I know you."

"And you know _her_ , so go get food before _she_ throws a rock _at you_."

"Yeah, yeah. You're welcome, by the way. I want proper credit for that fancy jutsu of yours."

I rolled my eyes at my boyfriends' chatter and sat down beside Minato. He must have been aware of Genma's plan somehow, because he hadn't moved at all during the event. He looked rather amused by it all. Naruto wasn't around, but I could hear him in the next room (by his commentary, I believed his dog plushy and his frog plushy were currently locked into a match to the death and the dog was winning… I expected he had seen Kakashi fighting).

"You make a good team," Minato commented.

"If you say so," I replied doubtfully. "I'm expecting to see my hair turn white prematurely thanks to them."

He chuckled and grinned at me. "I tell myself the same thing often enough."

"But it wouldn't be obvious on you," I pointed out while tugging on a strand of my brown hair. "You would look as dashing as ever."

"Maa, are you flirting with my sensei, Maiko?"

I glared at Kakashi as he came to sit beside me. I was pissed enough; was he trying to embarrass me on top of everything? "We're commiserating about you giving us white hair."

He raised an unimpressed eyebrow and tilted his head in a wordless answer, just in case his silver hair wasn't obvious enough.

"Oh, shut up. Your hair doesn't count."

"On what ground?"

"On the ground that it's cheating. It's not even white or grey, it's…" I gestured at his hair helplessly. "... silly."

"Silly? Interesting, I wasn't aware it was a color."

"You know what I mean."

"Do I?"

"I hate you."

"Do you?"

I was going to groan in annoyance when he leaned forward. Our nose were touching and his visible eye was staring right at me, his damned hair brushing my forehead. Flustered, I lost my train of thought.

"Are you kissing?"

I startled, but Kakashi pulled back calmly and glanced at Naruto over my shoulder. The kid had come out of the playroom with both plushies under his arms.

"Maybe," Kakashi drawled.

"Maiko-san, are you Kakashi-nii's girlfriend?"

Disturbed by Naruto's apparent seriousness, I wasn't sure what would be the right answer so I chose the truth: "Yes, Naruto-kun, I am."

I didn't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't his face lighting up, followed by him bouncing up and down. "Does that mean I can call you Maiko-nee-san?"

"Uh. Sure, if you want to."

"YES!" He threw himself in my arms, and I nearly avoided meeting his chin with my nose. "They're going to be so jealous!"

"Jealous? Who will?" I asked, completely bewildered, as I tried to make our embrace more comfortable.

"Shikamaru! And Itachi! And Iruka! And Neji! Sasuke will be angry instead, but that's because he doesn't like girls. He's a bit silly like that," Naruto explained, trying to find a good position for his plushies (the frog ended up in Minato's hands and the dog in Kakashi's to save them from a roll in the dust).

"Well, they all can call me nee-san if they wan—"

"No, they can't!" Naruto shouted. "Only _I_ can, because you're my nii-san's girlfriend. That's why."

"Right. Yes, of course," I replied to avoid a tantrum. I wisely decided not to mention Izumo. Who knew if my cousin would be accepted as family or as competition?

After a few minutes of placating Naruto's need for attention, Minato took charge. Naruto giggled from his perch on his father's shoulders and waved at us as we made our goodbyes.

Genma was waiting for us at my apartment. He watched me warily. "Are you still pissed?"

"Did you get me gyoza?" I wasn't super fond of ramen, so my order was usually quite light but with some side dishes. As the one in charge of ordering food, Genma knew my little habits by now, but he sometimes forgot — usually when he met someone he knew at the restaurant and got distracted, which was common enough since he was familiar with about a quarter of Konoha's population somehow.

"Yes…"

"Then I'm not," I concluded, passing by him to get to the food.

"No, you're still pissed."

"What?" I frowned and glanced at him as I held out the bowl of ramen with extra leek to Kakashi. "No, I told you, I'm not."

"You are, or else you would have kissed me," he pointed out, his senbon moving agitatedly.

"I'm just hungry, you idiot," I sighed fondly before stepping forward, removing his senbon and kissing him.

His arms immediately went around my waist, pressing me against him while he deepened the kiss. I hummed, surprised by his sudden passion.

"Love you," he murmured once he let me go.

I pushed back a few strands of my hair and blinked at him in wonder. "Love you too," I replied, distractedly glancing at Kakashi who had sat down on the couch and already started to eat. "... Did you eat half of my gyoza?!"

"I'm hungry," Kakashi said without batting an eye.

"I can't believe you! Do you inhale food or what?! It can't be good for your digestion, seriously," I hissed in annoyance, batting his legs away so I could sit on his other side. I let myself fall on the couch, grabbed my food and chopsticks and dig in, ignoring them until I had satisfied my growling stomach (at least ignoring them as much as I could when I had to defend my gyoza from Kakashi).

"Are you happy now?" Genma asked Kakashi. "You got that jutsu to work."

"I still need to train with it, but yes, I'm satisfied for now," Kakashi replied peacefully.

I was drinking the last of the broth when Kakashi leaned into me. I shivered as a hand went up my hip under my shirt and glanced at him, suspicious. It couldn't be about the food, I already had finished it. Then he tugged on my sleeve, kissed the skin uncovered, and I understood. "You too," I sighed. "Shouldn't you be tired? It has only been a week since you left the hospital."

"Maa," he breathed against my neck, giving me goosebumps, "small victories get the blood pumping."

I pushed him away and stood up. "No. I'm still hungry since you ate my gyoza. I want dessert. Make out with Genma since you're both so horny."

"Aren't I good enough for dessert?" Kakashi whined.

I rolled my eyes and ignored him in favor of the fridge. Finding a yoghurt, I fetched spoon and sugar before looking back. My boyfriends were indeed making out. I hummed around a spoonful of yoghurt and tilted my head, trying to understand how they had managed to entangle themselves without falling off the couch. Elite shinobi and their supernatural feats…

"I'm done. Do you want me to bring you something?" I called after throwing the pot into the trash and the spoon into the sink.

"You," they replied together.

"Well, that definitely can't be good for your digestion," I jested as I came closer.

They caught me by the hands and pulled me on their laps, which didn't simplify the tangle of limbs at all.

Kakashi pulled my shirt over my head without warning. Disheveled and bare-chested except for my sport bra, I glared at him. A second later, my hair fell on my shoulders, and Genma put away the tie and bobby pins I had used to tame everything into a bun.

With both of them working together, I had a feeling I was in for a wild evening…

Genma went to open my bra, but I pulled away.

"Ahah! This relationship is based on equality!" I reminded them. I couldn't make it too easy for them.

They removed their vests and shirts without complaint.

"Alright, now you can proceed…" I smiled smugly at my barechested boyfriends and burst into giggles when they jumped on me.

oOo

In the morning, I woke up to the sound of Kakashi leaving the bedroom. Barely awakened, bleary-eyed and unstable on my feet, I followed him in the living room where he stopped and stared at me.

"You can't go train yet," I mumbled. "I have to massage your burns."

"It's fine, I can do it myself. Go back to sleep."

"No," I protested, rubbing my eyes and pushing back my hair. "Rin said it's better when someone else does it. I'm gonna do it. Sit down, I'm getting the cream."

"Maiko, it's fine."

"I'm gonna do it," I repeated, going to the bathroom to find the moisturizing cream. "I can't stop you from training too much, but you better believe I'm going to make sure you get the right care," I mumbled, rummaging into the medicine cabinet. "Where the hell is it?"

"Here." Kakashi was shaking the cream pot with an amused lopsided smile.

I huffed and closed the cupboard, shuffling on my way back, but he didn't move, looking at me fondly as I leaned into him and pressed my face against his shoulder.

He kissed my hair and breathed in slowly. "Thanks."

"Uhuh. You can pay me back by cuddling with me on my day off." And, because I wasn't fool enough not to take advantage of his fondness, I tilted my head up with my lips pursed in a clear invitation. Once I had gotten a kiss, I brightened somewhat and patted my cheeks to wake up a little more before shooing him toward the couch. He chuckled and complied.

"Are you still planning on looking for a new flat tonight?"

"Yes, and you still don't want to come with us, do you?"

"Nope," he confirmed cheerfully.

I shook my head while I rubbed my hands together to warm the cream. "Fine, but you won't have the right to complain if you don't like it."

"We agreed on how many rooms and which district, as well as the shared rent. Anything else doesn't matter."

"So you say."

Genma came out of the bedroom as I rubbed Kakashi's thigh. He leaned into the wall to watch us. "Damn, is it tonight we're looking for flats?" he asked between yawns.

"Don't tell me you planned something else because you forgot."

"I didn't planned anything else… I just forgot."

I sighed. Mundane matters were so below their pay grade that they couldn't be bothered to care. They would have been happy to stay in a too-small apartment until they were fed up with being in each other space and it provoked unnecessary tensions. I wanted to prevent that, but they weren't really eager to change their habits… which was how I was reminded that I was technically older than them and a more experienced adult.

"Promise me you won't overdo it tonight?" I tried to ask Kakashi once I had finished the massage.

He eye-smiled, leaned forward to kiss me, and walked away toward the kitchen. He hadn't promised. I wasn't surprised.

I stood up to go to the bathroom, but Genma intercepted me. With a hand under my elbow, he leaned close to ask: "What about you? Did you forget about this week-end?"

"Of course not. Sushi restaurant for your mum's birthday, Saturday at noon. You're paying. I wouldn't forget _that_."

He snorted and kissed my forehead. "You'll get along well."

"I certainly hope so."

"Noriko-san is cool," Kakashi announced from the kitchen.

"Of course, she's my mom," Genma replied.

"No, I mean _cool_ … cooler than you."

"Excuse you? What's that supposed to mean?" Genma grumbled good-naturedly, walking to the kitchen.

Knowing how that was going to end — by groping passing for a scuffle — I snorted and went to the bathroom.

Here is for hoping that my first 'meet the in-laws' experience would go well.

oOo

I knew, from a few words dropped here and there by Genma, that he had lost his father and three older siblings to war. They had all died when he was young, however, which meant he hadn't know them well and their loss wasn't something which haunted him. It was nothing particularly unusual in Konoha, where you learned to make a new family when yours was diminished.

Like he often said, being raised by a single active mother made him what he was: a responsible and independent boy from a young age, sociable by necessity since he often was at his neighbors' houses, which happened to include the Namiashi (I wasn't surprised to learn that Raidou and he were childhood friends: those two were like brothers).

"And yet you can't cook," I had pointed out.

"Darling, I can't inherit _everything_ from my mom. Her good looks and great humor are already quite a lot. What's more, I think that being charming enough to get other people to cook for you should count for something."

The worst part was that he was right.

I also knew that his mother hadn't been single anymore for a few years: Genma had grumbled quite a lot at the time, about the man not being good enough for his mom. It was cute (at least for the first weeks: after that Raidou and I had banded together to get him to shut up and go have a dinner with the man so he could learn about him, and it had worked: now they were good friends). Genma's stepfather was civilian however, a merchant with whom Noriko had had a lot of interactions since she was working in the Logistics Division. He was regularly away, like today.

"It's nice, you know. I have been independent for years. Being alone for a few weeks here and there allow us to have some space for ourselves, and when he's back we missed each other enough that the reunions are… quite lively, if you know what I mean," Noriko explained enthusiastically in between some sushi.

We were in a very nice restaurant. The food was excellent. I was dressed as well as I could be… and I wanted to flee. I cleared my throat, thankfully not blushing, and hummed in confirmation.

"Of course you do," she continued with a mischievous smile, "your life must be _quite_ lively with both of those boys."

"Mom," Genma sighed, "stop trying to make her blush. I know she's pretty when she does, but if she refuses to see you ever again it's on you."

"Oh, I'm sorry honey," Noriko immediately apologized to me. "I didn't mean to _really_ make you uncomfortable. I have the bad habit of teasing people a little too much when I like them, even when I just met them."

I smiled tentatively, wondering how to respond to that, when Kakashi suddenly leaned into my space and stole my last maki. I retaliate by stealing his last sushi, glaring fiercely while he blinked innocently at me.

Noriko giggled at our antics and immediately launched into an anecdote like she had thousand of them. To be fair, all were quite funny or interesting. She was a really good storyteller.

I needed a few seconds before it occurred to me that Kakashi had managed to change the subject for my benefit. I glanced at him, met his eye and immediately knew he did it on purpose. I put my hand on his thigh under the table and squeezed gently to thank him, before turning back my attention on Noriko. She was mentioning Genma's bad habits as a toddler, and I was all for that kind of cute stories and blackmail material.

"Did I tell you we found a new apartment, mom?" Genma said as soon as he had an opportunity to change the subject in his favor.

"Did you?"

"In the same building as Kurenai, actually."

"Oh, a lovely place, and good neighborhood."

"On the last floor."

"So they can jump easily from roof to roof like the heathens they are," I piped up, exchanging a smile with Noriko.

"And so you can have a garden on the roof," Genma added.

"Oh, do you like gardening, Maiko-chan?" his mother immediately enquired.

"I do, but unfortunately I didn't have either time or opportunity before," I admitted. It was one of my hobbies in my previous life, but living in Konoha was quite different from living in suburb with a nice garden.

As we settled into an easy discussion, it occurred to me that it felt right.

This was family.

oOo Genma and Noriko's PoV oOo

"She's lovely, Genma," his mother said as he paid for their meal while Kakashi and Maiko waited outside. "And I admitted I was a bit sceptical of you being in a relationship with Kakashi, but it seems you all manage to make it work."

"Yeah," he agreed, waiting for the waitress to come back with his receipt.

"You have matured too, and you're happy. I'm glad. You said she only had her mother left, right? At the Senju Nursing Home? I should go and meet her, see her opinion about weddings."

"Mom," Genma groaned.

"I know, I know, it's not on the table yet, and neither are grandchildren, of course. You're all too young still, but those kind of things need to be prepared, darling."

"You're just fishing for excuses. If you want to meet her mother, just talk to her about books. You have the same tastes."

"Do we? How nice… I'm thinking of a September wedding. Early September, when the lotus are still blooming," Noriko babbled excitedly.

Genma rolled his eyes and threw an arm around her shoulders. He kissed her temple fondly. He knew where this came from: his mother had been deeply hurt by the loss of her three oldest children, and she was just excited to have more family again.

She leaned into his side and raised shining eyes on him. "What would you prefer, darling? Sons or daughters?"

"Either is fine," Genma replied indulgently. "I'd love them anyway."

"Of course you would. You would be a great father. Do they have preferences?"

"I think Maiko would like a daughter, and I'm pretty sure Kakashi would rather have sons."

"Well, you can have both. Maiko have quite good hips, she would have no trouble—"

"Alright, mom, don't get carried away. If she hears you, it's me she's going to chew out," Genma interrupted, chewing on his senbon agitatedly as he glanced over his shoulder. He met Maiko's eye as she waited outside, and he waved in answer to her smile. Kakashi had a book in hand, which was a sure sign that they were taking too long. "Do me a favor and don't talk about weddings or making babies where they can hear you, or they're going to combust in flames."

"If you insist… Did you start thinking about names?"

* * *

 _Beta-ed by **Sage Thrasher** the wonderful, as always. _

_Sorry for the wait everyone, September was a busy month, and I had trouble deciding on the outline of this chapter and the following ones. Indeed my dear readers, we're getting close to the end. I'm planning on three more chapters, four at the most._

 _This chapter was quite domestic so I can do a timeskip in the next one and shake things up. So I hope you enjoyed the fluff, the family stuff and all the nice things... Action and drama should be back in the next one!_ _=D_


	22. Three years later

**oOo Three years later oOo**

The sound of my heels against the ground seemed too loud in a world where silent footsteps were the rule. Everyone heard me arrive in the office, turning toward me expectantly. I sighed and made a mental note to buy new shoes. I had worn those out so much that the sole had lost its inbuilt softness, among other failings: after a day of walking around the tower, my feet were killing me.

Iruka had stood up at my arrival. His eagerness told me everything I needed to know before he could speak up.

"Kakashi. What did I tell you about teasing my assistant?"

The jounin hummed and tapped his book to his lips, as if he needed to think about it to remember. "To not to? But it's so fun, Maiko-chan."

Iruka glowered at Kakashi. It was a good attempt, which would no doubt terrify many people into submission as soon as he had enough years to make it work; unfortunately, it would never have any effect on Hatake Kakashi.

I passed by Iruka's desk and Yoshino's (currently empty, as she had taken the afternoon off) to reach my own. I dropped on my chair with a sigh of relief.

"You need to buy new shoes," Kakashi pointed out.

I kicked out my heels to stretch my toes and glanced at him in surprise. Sometimes I thought Kakashi didn't pay attention to me (at least not in the way Genma did, complimenting me about what I was wearing or how good I looked), but he always ended up surprising me with small remarks like this showing that he actually noticed more than he let on.

I gestured at Iruka to come forward with the work he had taken care of in my absence and shook my head as I replied: "You know I can't."

A few months ago, my mother had had a major surgery led by Tsunade-sama herself to help prevent the progress of her degenerative disease. She also had new medicine. It had worked beyond expectations, which made the expenses completely worth it, but I was broke.

"Alright. Genma will buy you new shoes then."

"Why would it be Genma?" Iruka asked, outraged. He was of the firm opinion that Genma was a better boyfriend than Kakashi and didn't mind expressing it. "Why don't you?"

"She wouldn't accept it," Kakashi replied, perfectly serene as he hid behind his book (just to annoy Iruka). For some reason, he found Iruka's poor opinion of him amusing. My guess was that it was refreshing for him that someone wasn't awestruck at his mere presence, but who knew...

"I wouldn't," I confirmed while going through the paperwork handed to me. When it seemed to puzzle Iruka, I explained: "Kakashi would do it only because I can't afford to buy them myself, while Genma actually likes to give me gifts."

"So… Kakashi doesn't give you gifts," Iruka concluded, seeming reinforced in his position.

I looked up from the notes I was going through. I had tolerated Iruka's stance because it wasn't his business anyway, but if I let it go indefinitely this would spread into rumors, I could see it. There were already too many about our unconventional relationship as it was.

I sighed and explained: "Alright, here is a tip Iruka: people love each other in different ways. Between other things, Genma likes to give me gifts. That's how he shows me he thinks about me." He would do it for Kakashi too if only he could find ideas: Kakashi always bought anything he needed, and flowers or sweets weren't his cup of tea. Finding birthdays' gifts always gave me headaches. "However, you know what he sucks at? Helping with the chores. Dear kami, he's the worst."

"The worst," Kakashi agreed.

"So who helps me at home and doesn't need to be told twice when I need help? That's Kakashi, because Kakashi doesn't see the point of buying gifts, but he knows what he can do to help without needing to be told _and_ he does it. That's how _he_ shows me he cares. Genma and Kakashi are different and they have different ways to express their love. Both are valid and make me feel appreciated."

Chastised, Iruka fidgeted. "I'm sorry, Maiko-san. I didn't mean to presume…"

"I know. Just remember that you shouldn't judge a relationship based on your own needs. Genma, Kakashi and I are happy together and that's all anyone need to know."

"Of course," Iruka agreed before adding hesitantly: "I apologize, Kakashi-san. I realize it was presumptuous of me to question your affection."

Kakashi eye-smiled. "Maa, it's alright, Iruka-kun. You haven't much experience on the subject, but I'd be happy to educate you."

"Ah… Thank you, but… I…"

There we went again. Kakashi might be trying to help desensitize Iruka; I wouldn't be surprised. Kakashi's definition of helping was sometimes… peculiar.

As I organized my desk and Kakashi bantered with Iruka, I caught sight of Kakashi's fingers moving in the gesture for 'Private Talk'. After a few seconds, I spoke up: "Iruka-kun, could you please take care of the liaison with the Senior Assistants today?"

Iruka startled and perked up. "Alone?"

"Yes, you have been accompanying Yoshino and I for long enough, and there shouldn't be anything problematic today. I'm sure you can handle it."

He grinned. "I won't disappoint you, Maiko-san! Should I… now?"

I nodded and waited for him to be gone before looking up at Kakashi with an inquisitive glance. The jounin sat on the desk by my side, his knee brushing mine as he leant forward to push a strand of hair away from my eyes.

"I have a mission. I leave in an hour."

"Oh. Will you be gone for long?" I knew better than asking for anything more.

"A week. Two at most."

"Alright. I'll miss you." I craned my neck in a silent request. The kiss was soft and slow, meant to be reassuring and convey a thousand words he had difficulties to admit out loud. Since it wasn't an issue for me, I concluded: "I love you. Come back safe."

After a last caress of my chin and a squeeze of my hand, he was gone. I tried to ignore the burst of anxiety accompanying his departure in mission and focus on my work. I usually managed it without too much difficulty, but that day I was mildly successful.

Since I was surrounded by shinobi trained to notice weakness, of course this information was duly noted and passed to whom it may concern: Genma (thanks Raidou). Because my boyfriends were telepaths, his first words as he came to fetch me at the end of my shift were: "Hey, sweetheart. I heard you need new shoes? Want to do some shopping?"

I wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. "Are we eating out after?"

"Sure thing, if okonomiyaki is alright with you."

I held onto his forearm as we walked through the streets.

He looked at me with a fond smile. "What's with the dazed look?"

"I'm just thinking I'm a lucky girl, to have a boyfriend here to reassure me and keep me distracted when my other boyfriend is gone Hokage knows where."

"True. I guess we're a trio of lucky bastards."

I chuckled and leaned onto him. "We are. By the way, next time you see your mom, thank her for me. Okaa-san told me she found her a new wheelchair at half price. She was really pleased with it. She did stunts in the hallway until the nurse bribed her to go back to her room."

"Bribe?"

"With books. The nurses are great, and they know her well."

Genma smirked and shook his head. "Your mom is the best."

"Yours isn't bad either. She's downright scary when she bargains."

"She always gets what she wants," Genma agreed. "That's how she got her hands on dad, from what I've been told."

"By bargaining?"

"She got him to go out with her by winning a bet."

I laughed in delight. "I can totally picture it."

"The story says that he was so impressed by her smooth talking that he fell in love every time she spoke. That's why she never shut up and I can barely remember his voice."

"Aww. Cute."

"Of course, I inherited all her talent. That's why you love me, don't you?"

I chuckled and paused in front of the store we had reached. "I love you for many reasons, Genma. Your smooth talking is only one among many," I replied, grinning. That got me a kiss. His arm went around my waist to draw me closer, and I spread my hand against his chest, feeling his heartbeat. I hummed against his lips before pulling away. "Come on, let's get inside before the Uchiha police accuses us of indecency _again_."

"Nah. Kakashi isn't here to piss them off by his mere presence, and they know you're Itachi's favorite. We're safe," he said, but he followed me nonetheless. "Alright, as usual then?"

"You know me."

"That, I do. So, no bare toes, closed shoes, in leather, around three centimeters of heel. I'd say you're a woman of simple tastes, easy to please, if your tastes weren't the exact opposite of the current fashion."

"What do you complain about? Less choice means quicker choice," I pointed out, ignoring all the pairs of sandals with open parts until I reached the winter collection.

Genma had been stopped by a saleswoman on the way. I ended up choosing a few pairs to try on my own. As I sat down on a bench, the nearest lady, a forty-years old civilian helping her genin daughter, told me: "You should keep an eye on your boyfriend."

I glanced at Genma, noticed that he was leaning sideways against a display stand while talking to the seller, met his eye, smiled back, and shrugged. "If I had to keep an eye on my boyfriend at all time ma'am, I'd go crazy."

"Don't you mind that he's talking to that girl?"

"Well, while he talks to her, he doesn't talk my ear off, if you know what I mean. Men, they're such gossips," I said, while admiring the pair of shoes at my feet.

"That's not just _talking_."

"Oh, yes, it is. When he actually flirts, he leans toward you and doesn't look away from you. Just watch." I stood up, walked to Genma and posed near him with my hands on my hips. "What do you think?" I asked as I show off the shoes.

Genma moved away from the stand, leaned forward and never looked away from me as he replied: "Looks good, but you don't seem comfortable when you walk, darling. Try those with the shoelaces? They look cute."

"I thought so too," I agreed, pecking his cheek before going back to my bench and removing the shoes. "See?" I told the lady.

"I want a boyfriend like that," the daughter whispered, wide-eyed.

"Don't you settle for less," I agreed. "A boy you have to keep an eye on is the wrong boy for you."

"I mean, he has an opinion on shoes!" The girl exclaimed, amazed.

I would have sweatdrop if I could. I chose to laugh about it. "Yeah, well, _that_ 's optional… but a good bonus I suppose."

"The girls think Hatake-san would be the best boyfriend, but they're wrong. Shiranui-san is definitely the best!"

At this announcement, I froze in the middle of lacing the new pair of shoes, barely noticing when the mother reprimanded her daughter for her audacity. Comparing my boyfriends was an Academy game now…. great. I didn't know our popularity went so far. I suppose we were lucky that was the worst we had to deal with. This universe had a more tolerant view of polyamory, and I couldn't complain about the reception the news of our relationship had received. Overall, people were more interested in knowing that Hatake Kakashi was in a stable relationship which could allow the continuation of his bloodline than they were in the details (from what I had gathered, that it was unusual was expected considering how eccentric he was).

The worst comment I had to deal with was a blunt "You're still working? Isn't it time you get knocked up?" and that had been dealt with a public tongue-lashing (and pranks which might have been Iruka and Naruto's doing but no-one, not even I, had proof).

"So, I am the best boyfriend, ain't I?" Genma asked as we left the shop with the lace-up shoes in a bag he was carrying, his wallet emptied of a few bills.

I snorted but didn't have the opportunity to reply. On our way to the okonomiyaki restaurant, we crossed path with Izumo and Kotetsu, who were coming back from guard duty with growling stomachs. They decided to join us, making for a lively evening as Kotetsu tried to outdo Genma with funny anecdotes. It inevitably ended with them inventing the most ludicrous stories — Genma with a perfectly stoic face, Kotetsu with a really expressive demeanor. Snorting at their ridiculousness, I shared a look of amusement with my cousin. Izumo had grown well, and I was glad we were as close as ever after all this time and what I had told him.

I had such a great family.

oOo

"Is there a reason why you're staring at my shoes, Neji-kun?"

The young Hyuuga startled and looked up. From my position two steps behind and to the right of the Hokage, I gently smiled at Neji while the Hyuuga elders and Minato talked. Since they didn't seem to need me to take notes, I pressed the clipboard to my chest and crouched to be at Neji's height. "Is there something on them I can't see?" I asked in a soft voice to avoid drawing attention to us.

"No," he replied firmly while straightening his posture and looking right in front of him, like he was supposed to do during this boring event.

I made an enquiring sound and gently nudged him with my pencil.

He grumbled but, knowing my persistence, relented and admitted: "I heard girls at the Academy talk about Genma-san buying them for you. I don't see what's the big deal about them."

I chuckled. "I don't think it's about the shoes, Neji-kun. You shouldn't think too much about it. How is the Academy?"

"Dull. The other kids are weak and idiots."

"No, they aren't. It's you who is strong and smart."

"It's the same thing."

"No, it isn't. You are what we call precocious. It means you're advanced for your age while the others are just normal. Once you're all grown up, the difference won't be so obvious."

"They'll be at my level?"

I winced. "Well… I wouldn't go that far, not for most of them anyway, but you won't find them so stupid."

Neji sniffed disdainfully. "If you say so, Maiko-san. What am I supposed to do while they catch up?"

"Well, don't be too hard on them, improve your patience and compassion, and… find some older kids to train with?" I suggested sheepishly.

He glanced at me from the corner of his eyes and sighed. "You said the same thing about Hinata-hime."

"Yep, I did," I admitted with a grin, poking the tip of my pencil against my chin. "It's the same, Neji-kun. Strong boys need to be good senpai!"

Neji sighed again, louder, his shoulders slouching in defeat. "Very well, but I'm not sure I like this senpai duty."

"We don't always do what we like, but I'm proud of you for trying! I saw Hinata-chan smiling at you. She seems to like you. That's good." I beamed proudly.

He straightened again and crossed his hands behind his back. "I did like you told me… Do you really think it will help?"

I tapped my cheek. "Well, what do _you_ think?"

"Hiashi-sama seemed to be pleased… and otou-san said I did well."

"Then you must be on the right track."

The Hokage started to make his exit. I stood up, giving a thumbs up to Neji before leaving the Hyuuga compound.

"Maiko," Minato called once we were alone with his bodyguards.

I hurried to catch up and walk by his side. "Yes, Hokage-sama?"

"You did well coaching Neji-kun to appease the relations between the branches."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama. How did the elders take your offer to help with the Caged Bird Seal?"

"As well as we imagined, but Hiashi-san was interested. There is hope."

"I have faith in your ability to convince Hiashi-sama, Hokage-sama," I replied cheerfully.

Minato glanced at me, smiling softly, but didn't reply. ANBU agents suddenly dropped in front of us. We halted. The street was quiet, seldom used apart from Hyuuga going to their compound.

"An emergency requires your attention at HQ, Hokage-sama," the ANBU captain announced.

"Very well. Maiko, I'll let you go back alone. When is my next meeting?"

"In twenty minutes, Hokage-sama."

He nodded and disappeared, immediately followed by the ANBU and guards. I hummed to myself as I walked through the village, mentally planning my work for the hour left before the end of my shift.

I was walking by a park when I heard my name called and noticed Chouji sitting by a dozing Shikamaru. I waved and then waited for them as they stood up, clearly intent on talking to me. "Hello boys," I greeted them before noticing their dirty clothes and scraped skin. "Well, now… Do I need to take names and put the fear of the secretary into some bullies?"

"No," Shikamaru replied nonchalantly, apparently unbothered by his scratched elbow, "but we could use your help. We were supposed to meet with Naruto and Sasuke here half an hour ago."

That was past the polite delay allowed for absent-minded kids and starting to edge into the suspicion of danger for a S-class asset (like the jinchuuriki/Hokage's kid).

I pulled on the cord around my neck to get a whistle out of my cleavage. "Let me check." I blew the whistle, producing a loud bird call. We waited a few seconds before an ANBU agent dropped by and tilted his head questioningly. "Apologies for the disturbance. Uzumaki Naruto and his friend Uchiha Sasuke are half an hour late for a playdate. Are you aware of their whereabouts?"

"I'll check," he replied before disappearing.

I looked back at the children and smiled at their awe (Chouji's) and curiosity (Shikamaru's).

"Mom doesn't have a whistle," Shikamaru noted.

"Ah, no. _That's_ because _I_ 'm a big deal," I replied with a falsely smug voice, pushing my hair back and posing with wide eyes and a theatrical expression.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, thinking I exaggerated like I tended to do, because a first assistant to the Hokage couldn't be much more of a big deal than the second assistant, right? And this was how I successfully managed to fool him by telling the truth! Assistants didn't have emergency ANBU whistles, but S-class assets did (and Naruto better not have lost his or they would be hell to pay). It was Minato's invention after a few too many close calls. It wasn't like they could put an ANBU to guard every asset 24h/7, so this was a good compromise. I found it quite reassuring, personally. I rarely needed it since I was surrounded by ANBU most of the day, but it had its uses.

I was sitting on a bench, chatting with the boys about their day at the Academy, when the ANBU agent came back, a kid under each arm… and they were absolutely filthy.

"Sweet Sage of the Six," I breathed. "Did you find them in a sewer?!"

"Almost."

"Great," I sighed before recoiling as Naruto stumbled forward when he was let down. "Uhuh. Don't touch me, mud monster. What the hell happened to you?"

"We beat the shit out of Taki-baka!"

"Oh, did you?" At Chouji's and Shikamaru's look of recognition, I added: "Does that Taki happen to be a bully?"

"Yeah!"

I glanced at the ANBU agent in silent question. He shrugged and signed "minor injuries" in reply. Well, I supposed that was acceptable then. I thanked him in the same silent way, and he disappeared after a brief nod. "Alright— No!" I jumped on my feet and went around the bench."No, no, no, Naruto-kun. No hugs when you're covered in mud! I have to go back to work!"

"But, Maiko-nee-chan," he whined.

"Come by after school tomorrow and help me with the garden. I'll give you as many hugs as you want then," I compromised.

"Yes!"

"Now tell me what happened."

It was exactly what I had expected: bullies had hassled Choji during the lunch break, Shikamaru had stepped in and gotten them to leave, but Sasuke and Naruto had heard those bullies plan their revenge after school and they had confronted them, which ended in all of them rolling in the mud by the Naka river.

I snorted and glanced at the quatuor with fondness. Sasuke looked particularly apprehensive, so I pointed out: "Don't worry so much about what your mother will say, Sasuke-kun. If you tell her the truth, I'm sure she'll be lenient." As he looked doubtful, I added: "You fought to protect your comrades, Sasuke-kun. You acted like a true shinobi of Konoha, and I know that your brother would be proud of you. Don't forget to tell him about it when he'll be back from his mission, alright?"

He nodded eagerly, suddenly much more proud and confident.

"Now, I need to go back to work. Take care of yourselves boys, and continue to watch over each other. Naruto-kun, I'll see you tomorrow!"

oOo

"Easy, Naruto-kun. Don't drown the poor plants," I called as I watched the over-enthusiastic boy water the small garden I had organized on the flat roof we used as a terrace. At the beginning, I mainly had aromatic herbs, which didn't necessitate much care (I didn't always have time for them), but Naruto-kun had taken a liking to gardening, so I had added a few flowers and simple plants like strawberries or cherry tomatoes.

Genma didn't care much for it, often complaining that he was afraid to step on anything when he dropped in ('while drunk' was left unsaid). Kakashi pretended he didn't care, but somehow I had never lost a plant, not even when I was too busy for weeks and forgot to water them.

"Look, look, Maiko-nee-chan! It makes flowers!"

"It does. Do you remember what it's called?"

"Carnations!"

"That's right. Well done."

"And they're orange!"

I chuckled and walked up to him. "Those are orange, yes, because I bought them thinking about you."

He beamed. "You did?"

I crouched and hugged him loosely. "Yes. The red ones, I bought them thinking about Genma, because he often gives me red flowers."

"And Kakashi-nii-san?"

"Well, his flowers aren't carnations. You'll have to guess!"

Naruto turned toward the pots with a determined expression, humming to himself. I left him to his guessing work. Genma had appeared at the balcony door, leaning against the frame with a fond look.

"Welcome home. What's got you in such a good mood?" I asked when I reached him.

"Just thinking," he said while pulling me into his arms.

"About?"

"You and kids."

I paused in my attempt to find a comfortable position for cuddles and looked up to his chin. "Kids… in general, or more specifically speaking?"

"Depends… on what answer you prefer," he replied with humor.

I gently pushed him inside for a little more privacy. "I know this is hard for you, but for once could you lay off on the flippancy?" I asked, not unkindly. "You can be honest with me, you know... Do you want kids, Genma?"

"Maybe… Yes. Someday. If you both want to," he finally admitted, nervously biting on his senbon.

I nodded slowly. I was a little apprehensive about getting pregnant, giving birth and all that jazz, but I wanted kids. "Someday, yes. Do you think Kakashi…?"

"Well... he would have a few panic attacks imagining what a bad father he would be… but eventually, I think he would accept he at least needs to continue the Hatake bloodline."

"Right… We should probably ease him into the idea."

"Definitely, yeah," he agreed with a smirk.

I joined my arms behind his neck and played with his hair while imagining the three of us being parents. It would be lively, but being three instead of two could only be an advantage. "Kakashi would make a good father."

"He would… but he would drive you crazy."

"You all would," I laughed, knowing I would be one of this protective mother always worrying and micromanaging everything while Genma and Kakashi would be the funny fathers adored by their kids. "But let's not get ahead of ourselves…"

"Right," Genma agreed with a nod. "I wanted to ask you: do you mind if Raidou comes for dinner? You know, with Rin gone…"

"Oh, yes." I shook my head. I still tended to forget that Rin sometimes went on missions with Kakashi (well, officially, _at the same time_ as Kakashi, but it meant what it meant…) "No, of course. He's always welcome."

"Great," Genma started to say before being interrupted by Naruto barging in with a pot of white flowers cradled in his small arms.

"I found it! It's this one! The orchids!"

I gasped dramatically. "How did you guess?"

He giggled. "They're like his hair! The shape and the color!"

"Yes!" I laughed and went to grab the pot before he dropped it, patting his head while I was in reach. "He doesn't think so, but it totally is like his hair! Ha! I'll tell him you think so too!"

"Totally!"

We went back to the terrace so we could finish tidying things up. When we came back inside, it was to find Minato and Raidou chatting with Genma.

"Dad! Dad! Maiko has orange flowers just for me! and the white orchids are just like Kakashi-nii-san's hair!" Naruto announced, running to his father and hugging his legs.

"Oh, really?"

"Uhuh!"

"That's good to know. Thanks for watching over him Maiko."

"It's always a pleasure, Minato-sama… Would you like to stay for dinner? Before you get all polite on me, Raidou is already invited, so it wouldn't be a bother to cook for two more. Pumpkin is on the menu."

Naruto and Genma both approved with varying degrees of enthusiasm.

Minato looked down at his son with a raised eyebrow. "You like pumpkin?"

"It's _orange_!"

"Didn't you know Hokage-sama? Carrots, oranges and pumpkins are the best way to make him eat fruits or vegetables," I said with amusement, walking toward the kitchen.

Minato chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. "I knew about the carrots, but I hadn't realized… Silly me."

"Silly dad!"

"Now, Naruto-kun, what do we say to Maiko for inviting us and cooking for us?"

"THANK YOU!"

oOo

Two days later, time seemed to be dragging on, probably because I was in a brooding mood since Kakashi had left. It showed how much I had gotten used to Kakashi's presence when his absence affected me this much. I really missed him. That was new. This realization was as responsible for my pensive mood as his absence.

I was staring at a report from an orphanage speaking of a snake infestation. That didn't help to brighten my mood in anyway. My distaste for the creatures might not be considered as a phobia anymore, but they still greatly repulsed me.

I was startled by the abrupt arrival of a couple of shinobi. They looked like they had just come back from the field, out of breath and unkempt. I straightened as I recognized Aoba — only a true emergency would take precedence over his looks — but it was Anko who blurted out:

"We need to talk to the Hokage."

"I'm sorry, but—" I started to reply.

"It's urgent!" she shouted.

"Anko, calm down. Maiko, I have to insist," Aoba said.

I spread my hands in a show of appeasement and repeated: "I'm sorry, but he isn't here right now." I didn't know what was going on with ANBU but he had been called to their HQ more often than usual lately.

Anko cursed and clenched the back of her neck. Aoba glanced at her with worry and started to say something, but I was already a step of ahead and called:

"ANBU, get me the Hokage. Yoshino, get me the Jounin Commander." A movement in the corner of my left eye and Yoshino disappearing by the door on my right informed me I was obeyed. "Anko-san, do you need medical attention?"

"No," she hissed, white as a sheet, "they can't do anything. I need Hokage-sama!"

"He is on his way, Anko-san. Breathe deeply and hang in there." I stood up and went around my desk. "Let's step into the office for more privacy." Pressing my hand to the handle, I poured my chakra into the seal engraved into it to unlock the door.

Anko stumbled toward the couch and curled up on it, Aoba hovering not far from her.

Shikaku and Yoshino arrived a few seconds afterward. I let them in before closing the door behind them, activating the privacy seal as I did.

"Report," Shikaku ordered.

Aoba straightened and said: "We were returning from our successful mission when Anko's seal started to itch a few kilometers away from Konoha's wall. The pain has been increasing since, and as we passed the gates she affirmed that she could sense Orochimaru nearby."

"He's here!" Anko shouted from the couch, slamming her hand down on the armrest. "And he's trying to activate my seal! If Hokage-sama hadn't taken care of it…"

"Stay focused on the present and not the possibilities, Anko," Shikaku ordered firmly. "ANBU, trigger Immediate S-class Threat Protocol."

I turned toward Yoshino and pointed my chin to the door with a murmured: "You know what to do."

She left with a determined nod. As per protocol, she was in charge of coordinating the evacuation. It was a good thing that Shikamaru was at the Academy now. Yoshino could trust his sensei to protect him,and she would be less distracted. That reminded me that Iruka volunteered at the Academy on his free day. Good, he would take good care of the kids.

The bell sounded out a few seconds later — when the threat was one of our missing-nin, there was no point in trying to be covert by using bird signals, Orochimaru knew all about Konoha's systems. I stepped toward the window to see the civilians drop everything, grab their children and walk quickly toward the nearest evacuation point — they had been taught not to run unless in immediate danger, because running civilians provoked more accidents than it was worth. Shinobi jumped on the roofs from the streets or their homes, overseeing the evacuation and looking for the enemy. An invisible enemy, for now...

Anko and Aoba were walking Shikaku through the last hour they had gone through when the Hokage appeared behind his desk in a flash of yellow. "Report," he immediately ordered, looking solemn.

His guards appeared a few seconds later in their customary triangle position, the ANBU commander in the middle, as their passenger. Genma's eyes met mine before he slouched slightly in relief (I couldn't fault him if a threat alert had immediately made him thought the worst about my well-being, I had a bad record).

Minato was moving to check Anko's seal and the ANBU commander was turning to speak to Shikaku when a burst of chakra was immediately followed by a loud noise…

I turned toward the window and stared, wide-eyed, at the enormous snakes attacking the east wall. "Yep," I breathed, repressing a shudder, "he's here..."

 **oOo Kakashi's PoV - The day before, in the Land of Hot Water oOo**

"Taichou. Are you… alright?"

Slowly catching his breath, Kakashi glanced at Tenzou hovering nearby and nodded briefly. "Casualties?"

"Two dead. Three heavily wounded. Rin-san is looking over them."

Nodding again, Kakashi stared at the ground from his crouching position. He couldn't look at the corpse laying beside him. If he did, he wouldn't be able to tear his eyes away, and his team needed him. He had already been distracted for too long. As always, Rin was better than him: _she_ had her priorities in order. Standing slowly to spare his battered body, he looked around him.

The plateau was devastated. Trees were unrooted when they weren't burnt to embers or sliced into pieces. Craters were filled with water, and weapons littered the ground. It was a walking hazard.

Among the desolation, only four people including him (no need to mention his trembling fingers and chakra exhaustion, he could stand!) had the energy to stay standing up. Kakashi focused first on his more important responsibility: "Yasu. Health report."

"Minor injuries. Low level chakra sufficient for C level jutsu. I'm operational, taichou."

When he got saddled with this rookie, Kakashi hadn't realized how much he would be thankful for his obedience. When he was told to stay on support, Itachi could be trusted to obey regardless of his pride and opinion.

Craning his neck left and right to relax the muscles, Kakashi made two hand signs, too tired to speak.

Itachi nodded and went to clean up the battlefield as ordered. It wasn't the most glamorous job, but it had to be done, and it was traditionally the rookie's work since it served as a test of diligence.

"Tenzou. Health report."

"Non-life-threatening injuries. Low level chakra sufficient for D level jutsu. Waiting for medical check-up."

"Go guard Rin. Come back to me after your check-up."

Tenzou disappeared after a nod.

Kakashi turned toward the remaining shinobi, who happened to be foreign and in disgustingly good state. Jinchuriki at least could rejoice about never experiencing true chakra exhaustion.

"Thank you for your timely assistance," Utakata said, "I wasn't sure you would arrive in time."

"We were nearby."

"Ah. I'm sorry your team had to undergo this fight after the fatigue of a previous mission then, but this is fortunate for me. This… Tobi was as dangerous as you said."

Kakashi pointedly didn't look down. "Yes, he was. His partner was diverted, you said?"

"Yes. Orochimaru. He maintained that his old teammate, Jiraiya, was following them and offered to take care of him, leaving on the spot."

"You didn't seem to believe him."

"Neither Tobi or I noticed anyone before you, and his partner rather seemed of the opinion that he had been betrayed and abandoned. He was planning to kill Orochimaru once he was done with me."

"I see. Well, regardless, none of us is in good enough shape to fight a Sannin. Let's get this over with and go back home," Kakashi sighed. "Hokage-sama will want to meet you."

Fifteen minutes later, the battlefield had been cleared, Rin had healed as much of the ANBU team as she could, and Kakashi had ordered them to wait near the closest tree still standing.

Kakashi was staring at Rin, purposefully still not looking down as they stood over the dead body of their genin teammate. "Rin?"

The medic-nin, recently authorized to join ANBU mission, wasn't over-emotional, but her absence of reaction at the sight of Obito's mutilated body still worried Kakashi.

She didn't reply to him but slowly crouched and reached forward. She cut the clothes with her chakra scalpel and parted them to uncover the body made of mixed flesh. Kakashi didn't know what she was looking for, but he watched quietly.

Rin checked every limb before turning the corpse to see his back. Finally, she pointed out a mark at the back of the neck. Kakashi knew enough to recognize a seal. It was no particular surprise. Obito had clearly been brainwashed, and Minato had suggested the possible use of fuuinjutsu when they speculated about it during a few very moody and alcoholic evenings together.

Having found what she was looking for, Rin adjusted the body in its previous position and stood up.

They stayed quiet for a few long seconds, staring at the mature face of their teammate turned enemy. His eyes were closed over empty orbits. It had been extremely difficult to destroy his Sharingan. They had fought for what felt like an hour just to immobilize him for a few seconds, allowing Rin to strike the blow. After that however, the fight was over in a minute.

Kakashi was staring at those closed eyes without really seeing them. He was jolted of his contemplation by tears dropping on Obito's cheeks, making their way through the scars of the repaired jaw.

Rin was crying, head lowered and shoulders shaking.

As shitty as he was at dealing with crying people, Kakashi was relieved. He knew it was what she needed.

"He wasn't…" She started before a small hiccup forced her to pause. "He wasn't the Obito we knew."

"No, he wasn't," Kakashi agreed softly.

"The Obito we loved… he died that day. Do you think… do you think he'll finally find peace now?" she asked, looking up at him, her face clenched in anguish.

"I hope so," Kakashi whispered, glancing at the puppet laying at their feet. Was it why he couldn't bring himself to regret even for a second killing his former teammate? Because he had already been dead in all senses that matter? He didn't know. He couldn't think. He felt exhausted, physically and mentally. His body was heavy. His mind was cluttered.

He just wanted to curl up on Maiko and Genma's laps with his ninken lying all over them. He would sleep, read, and be late for dinner with Minato and Naruto. They would have no choice than come check on him. Maiko wouldn't be able to get up to cook, so Genma would go buy takeout and they'd have a messy sleepover. Rin and Raidou might as well join them.

The sky was cloudy. Kakashi realized with a jolt he was daydreaming when a ray of sunshine came to blind him. He shifted and looked back to Rin. She was still crying. He moved without thinking to wrap an arm around her shoulders, pulling her so she could lean on his shoulder. Hugs weren't his specialty, but he had no choice but to learn with Maiko.

"Wh-what do we do with the body?" Rin asked. "Bring it back to Minato-sensei?"

"No. Protocol states it must be disposed of."

"But… It's Obito."

"You said it. Obito died eight years ago," Kakashi pointed out. He was falling back on his ANBU training. His voice was detached, probably too much for Rin's taste, he knew, but she didn't protest.

He ordered her to go join the team. She went, walking slowly to pull herself together. She didn't say a word to Obito's corpse. No last goodbye. They had already done it, eight years ago, in front of his empty grave. They had already tried to reason with the living Tobi, without any success. What was left? … Giving him the respect he was due and which they had failed to do at the time, leading to this torture he had gone through for much too long.

Kakashi removed a scroll from his pocket — the emergency kit for when fire jutsu couldn't be used — and emptied its sealed content. He sprayed the body with highly flammable liquid, lighted a match and looked down one last time.

"Rest in Peace."

* * *

 _Sorry for the delay. I was stuck in writer block for a while, and then my dear beta, **Sage Thrasher** , was overworked. Worry not however, the next chapter is already done at 75% so the wait should be much shorter this time. =) _

_I planned two chapters and an epilogue after this, so the story should end at 25 chapters, but I also have at least one bonus_ _ _in my drafts_ (AU where Maiko was born sooner and got a decent sensei, which led to... Maiko/Minato! I know some of you wanted that =D) and I have a few ideas for some others, so you can expect a little more than 25 chapters ___after all_. ;)_

 _If you want to know what Maiko looks like, go check my profile._


	23. A town under attack by nightmares

Running around Konoha in emergency lockdown was a bit surreal. The streets and buildings were eerily deserted. Shinobi jumped and ran from roof to roof, mostly in the direction of giant snakes intent on destroying anything on their path but not only in that direction. As a matter of fact, _we_ were running away from the reptiles, which was perfectly fine in my book.

Our destination was the orphanage at the outskirts of the city. They had sent a call for help at the start of the alert. I had remembered the report that I had been reading previously: a snake infestation couldn't be a coincidence in such circumstances.

The Yondaime had ordered Aoba, Anko, Genma and I to investigate while everyone else went to deal with Orochimaru and his beasts. That Anko and I, the most at risk in case of a meeting with the Sannin, were sent in the opposite direction was simply convenient… or rather a case of 'hitting two birds with one stone'.

Genma was leading the team and had ordered me to stay close to him with a simple look, to which I had answered with a slight widening of the eyes that I would stick to him like glue — and without any shame — if it meant I could avoid snakes.

When we reached the orphanage, screams and sounds of combat were the first sign something was wrong. Then we jumped over a street and saw children running from the orphanage toward what I estimated to be the closest evacuation spot (I heard but didn't see a matronly woman urging them to hurry). They were late. Something must have held them up.

We understood what was going on a second later, when we caught sight of a woman in miko clothing holding her ground against three small… creatures.

"Oh, Kami," I breathed.

"What are they?" Aoba asked in bewilderment.

"Children bitten with a cursed seal," Anko replied with clenched fists. "Damn you, Orochimaru!"

The miko — with the training of an elite kunoichi — wasn't fighting to kill. She never hurt them, only stopping them from going after the other children which had all disappeared from sight. Those three deformed creatures might be grotesque to our eyes, but I'd bet that she could recognize her wards despite it all. As a matter of fact, when we jumped down to help her, her first words were:

"Don't hurt them! They're victims of the seals! They can't control themselves!"

The noises the creatures made were nonsensical grunts and groans. Their eyes were wide and intense, like if they were in a frenzy. It was disturbing. As I dodged a swipe of claws and parried a hit with one of my fans, I called: "Capture jutsu, anyone?"

"None which are harmless," Aoba replied with a grunt.

"Same!" Anko and Genma replied in unison.

"All my medical ninjutsu is ineffective against them. It only incapacitates them temporarily," the miko (she was Kabuto's adoptive mother, wasn't she? She reminded me of someone from the manga...) replied ruefully.

"We need a Nara," I concluded.

Genma ordered at the same time: "Maiko, find a Nara!"

"Called it!" I pointed out as I removed myself from the fight and jumped on the nearest roof before going for the highest. I went through my pockets to find a paper and a marker, quickly drawing the Nara clan's symbol on it. Then I took a deep breath and whistled the customary call for the Genin Corps. I rarely used it anymore unless I needed to catch the attention of the nearest genin, but it wasn't something I was likely to forget.

Heads popped over the rooftops and turned toward me, like a bunch of meerkats. During evacuation, the Genin Corps were responsible for helping the civilians along. Once the evacuation was over, they had to stay near the tunnels' entrances to watch out for enemy progress. They had strict orders to not engage and close the accesses if danger was getting too close, regardless of latecomers. Since the neighborhood was relatively calm, they were still reachable.

I held the paper as high as I could to get the message. The closest genins relayed it through the same way until the whistle for 'found it' (a long note which could also mean 'shut the hell up' in the Corps slang) sounded out.

A moment later, two Nara dropped beside me with raised eyebrows. I lost no time to point out at the creatures below and explain:

"They are kids. We need them immobilized painlessly."

"You got it," the oldest one drawled.

The youngest, a teenage girl and probably the man's daughter, was less phlegmatic and did a double-take before whispering in a mix of confusion and horror: "Kids?!" She nonetheless jumped after her father and performed the Shadow Techniques without a hitch, catching the smallest one while her elder took care of the other two.

The creatures were frozen in a relaxed pose with wide open eyes and growling mouths. The sight was disturbing.

"Thank you," the miko said with a relieved expression.

"Don't rejoice too soon," Genma intervened. "The Nara can't keep them like this indefinitely. We need to get them out of this state or unconscious. Anko, any suggestion?"

The teenager scowled. "The transformation will stop when they'll have exhausted their chakra. They're kids, it won't take long."

"Can you estimate it at less than ten minutes? Because anything more isn't good enough."

"How would I know?" Anko hissed with raised hands in her agitation. She was a bundle of nerves with even less patience than usual.

"Did the Yondaime tell you about the seal he used on you?" I tried to ask, to find another option.

"No! I'm shit at this fucking fuuinjutsu bullshit! It creeps me out anyway."

"I know a seal which might work," a soft voice intervened. We turned to see the miko adjusting her glasses higher on her nose. "I'm Yakushi Nono, one of the orphanage caretakers and a jounin from the medic corps. I know some fuuinjutsu, but I don't have the materials for—"

Without waiting for her to finish, I rummaged in one of the secret pockets of my obi, removed a stockage seal and activated it. A small box full of sealing furnitures appeared, and I gave it to the miko. In answer to the resulting silence and stares, I shrugged and pointed out: "I'm the Yondaime's assistant. Of course I carry those around as backup." I had to with the number of times he went in a sealing frenzy in the middle of something completely unrelated, including when he was out of the office. Once during my first year, he had caught me unaware and ended up scribbling on his cloak with marker (after going through his own stocks, mind you). That damn cloak was made on request and expensive, so never again.

They tilted their head in agreement and focused on the present fuuinjutsu expert.

"I wouldn't dare interact with the seal without knowing how it works, but I believe there is a way to interrupt, or at least greatly diminish, the chakra it uses. We use it sometimes for sensitive operations," she was explaining as she worked, kneeling in the dirt. "It needs to be applied on the pathway system."

"Do we need a Hyuuga?" I asked with a frown.

"No," she replied while pushing her glasses higher on her nose. "Any medic-nin worth their salt knows where are chakra pathways. The Byakugan is only essential to locate tenketsu due to their small size and individual variation."

I hummed in understanding and let her work.

As we waited in silence, the sounds of battle coming from the east were all the more audible and difficult to ignore. The snakes' noises were too high-pitched to carry, but explosions were obvious.

I glanced at Genma, hoping to find some comfort in his presence. He met my eyes and moved closer, his fingers brushing mine as he murmured in my ear: "It's alright, Yondaime-sama will handle it."

I nodded in agreement, having as much faith in the Hokage as he did, but I felt uneasy when parts of my hometown were getting blown up. I bet it included the trees. The trees always got blown up. Forces of evil were going to fuck up the climate, explosion after explosion.

"It's ready," Nono announced, standing up with a paper seal. She hesitated and glanced between the three kids-turned-creatures immobilized. She couldn't choose on who to try her seal and theory. A lot of self-confidence would be required to risk one of your wards' life.

Understanding this, I moved forward, took the seal and chose one of the kids at random. "Tell me where to put it."

"Here," she said, tracing a line along the neck. "This is the chakra pathway supplying the seal."

I frowned, vaguely remembering a few anatomy sketches we had been shown in the Academy. "Isn't it also supplying the brain?"

"Yes," she replied somberly, "it's one of them."

"Alright," I breathed, suddenly regretting volunteering for this responsibility, but I couldn't back up. "Get ready," I told the Nara jounin holding the kid. I waited for his nod before I carefully applied the sticking paper where I was shown and applied a small quantity of chakra until it activated. Taking two steps back, I watched with bated breath.

A few seconds were necessary before we saw a reaction. The creature started to morph into a more humanoid shape, then lost its dark color for a more natural shade, dark marks slowly receding into the seal. Once the kid looked perfectly human, his eyes closed and his head tilted, as if he were only standing because of the shadow jutsu.

Nono checked with a glowing green hand before announcing: "He's unconscious."

"That's for the best," Genma murmured.

The Nara let go of the boy once Aoba had a good grip on him so he could be laid down on the ground safely.

We repeated the same process for the two others with the same results.

"That's a good thing taken care of," Aoba said with a smug posture.

"I'm worried this isn't over," Nono admitted, looking up from the kids she was examining.

"What do you mean?"

"Some of the older children… they went to the academy this morning. It's possible that some of them were bitten and didn't tell me."

Genma groaned and pinched his nose. "That could be a disaster."

"Especially if they are already in the shelters," Aoba added.

"I need to take care of these children first and foremost, but… here…" Nono said as she drew once more the chakra repressor seal.

I accepted it with the rest of the sealing furnitures, and tuck it away in my pockets. She stopped me with a hand on my wrist as I stepped back and murmured: "Please, take care of them. And… there is… my adopted son, Kabuto, he has grey hair and glasses like mine… please, watch over him."

I froze at Kabuto's name and needed a second before I managed to smile reassuringly. "I always watch over children. I'll do my best." As I withdrew, I knew I had failed to appear natural. Nono was frowning, but she had no other choice than to trust me. I met Genma's eyes who raised an eyebrow questioningly as we walked away. I shook my head and jumped on the nearest roof.

ROOT and Danzou didn't exist anymore. Kabuto wasn't the same as in the story I had read. He had the chance to live a normal childhood (as normal as it got in the shinobi world), and I couldn't equate him to what he could have been. I reminded myself of this and swore to protect him like any other child.

The Academy, being adjacent to the Hokage tower and of high importance, was more heavily defended than the remote neighborhood we were in previously. We crossed path with an ANBU, and Genma paused to ask:

"Are there any reports of deformed creatures, kid-size?"

"Shikaku-san has got them tied up in the amphitheater."

I was perfectly aware that Shikaku was one of the strongest shinobi of Konoha and highly proficient with his clan's jutsu, but it was the first time I saw him in action and it was impressive. He was calmly sitting on a desk, giving orders to jounin, while six tendrils of shadow extended from his feet to creatures sitting on the first row of seats, looking more or less peaceful.

Shikaku looked unperturbed, and he barely glanced at us before accepting what appeared to be a sketched map from Kurenai. "The orphanage?" he asked.

"Three of those creatures, even smaller in size, were incapacitated with the help of the caretaker, Yakushi Nono. She warned us there might be some others here," Genma reported before glancing at me.

I stepped forward and showed the seal I was given. "Applied to the proper pathway, this stops the flow of chakra toward the seal and ends the transformation, leading to unconsciousness."

"Can you apply it?"

"Yes, but I only have one and I can't replicate it."

"I can."

I turned around to see Iruka walking down the stairs.

"Do it," Shikaku simply ordered us before turning his attention back to coordinating the defense efforts.

I stepped to the side and met Iruka midway. "Can you?" I asked, giving him the seal and the sealing furnitures before he even replied.

"I would be an unworthy student of Yondaime-sama if I didn't," he replied with a half-smile. "Can _you_ really apply it?" He was frowning, but I didn't take his uncertainty personally. He might not be looking at the children, but I knew he was worried for them. I was too.

"Take care of the fancy stuff and let me deal with sticking papers right on the line. We each have our specialties. Or do you doubt I can deal with papers, Iruka-kun?" I teased.

He snorted but graciously accepted my poor attempt at comic relief.

With the first seal in hand, I stepped in front of the smallest creature. Its jaw was clenched and its eyes were watching its surroundings intently. It seemed more focused than the three smaller ones we had to deal with before, like the child was conscious and not just a mindless beast. It stared at me with unnerving focus. I hesitated for a moment before shaking my head. I couldn't get distracted. Pulling on what remained of a too small shirt, I carefully applied the seal where I had been taught.

As before, the transformation reversed.

The boy was around the same age as Naruto, with really pale skin and dark hair. He reminded me of Sasuke at first, until he stared at me (was it because he was older, training in the shinobi arts, or because the seal was different, that he was the first to stay conscious?). He was Sai.

"Do we have a medic?" I shouted before speaking to the boy kindly: "Hello dear. Everything is alright now, we'll help. What's your name? I'm Maiko."

"Saito."

"Well, Saito-kun, Nono-san from the orphanage sent me. She's worried about you all."

"She's going to be angry."

"Because you didn't tell her you were bitten? I'm sure she'll forgi—"

"No... because Shin died."

Stopped mid-word, I glanced at Iruka who was coming forward with Shizune (I did a double take when I noticed a white slug on her shoulder). He looked somber. "Some of the children didn't survive the seals' activation."

"Oh," I breathed. "Oh… Well, darling, I don't think anger will be her priority." I moved to let Shizune examine Sai… I mean, Saito. I shook my head to focus on the present instead of the image of kids killed by this monstrosity Orochimaru had done. Genma, having signaled to Shikaku he could release Saito, stepped forward, squeezing my shoulder gently with a questioning glance. I nodded to reassure him and took another seal offered by Iruka.

The four next children were in varied states, between plain unconsciousness and lucidity similar to Saito. They were all quiet and obedient, probably traumatized by what they had gone through. I didn't know what they remembered from their transformation and I wasn't sure I wanted to know.

The last child was Kabuto. He was the oldest, probably twelve years old, and he looked at the kids sitting beside him with an anguished expression. "It's my fault."

"It's not," Saito replied calmly, but without looking at Kabuto. "You checked. We were fine. You couldn't know."

"I should have told Nono-san. She would have known, she's a better medic."

"Hey, hey," I said, stopping him before he could drive himself into a frenzy. "Saito-kun is right. Yes, you could have done things differently, but you can't change the past. It doesn't mean it's your fault. What happened is on Orochimaru, not you. All you can do now, is help as much as you can and do better in the future, alright?"

He focused on me and nodded slowly. "Wh-what can I do?"

"The children know you and trust you. They need your reassurance and support. Here is Mitarashi Anko, who was one of the first people to get one of those seals, Iruka-kun, which you know from your fuuinjutsu lessons, and Shizune-san, who is Tsunade-sama's apprentice. They will all take care of you—"

"Hey! I'm not a babysitter!" Anko protested.

"Consider that an order, Anko," Genma commanded.

"Wouldn't you have liked to talk to someone who went through the same thing you did?" I asked her.

She slouched and relented. "Yeah, ok."

"They will take care of you," I repeated to Kabuto. "Can you be their liaison with the kids?"

He agreed with a slow nod. I patted his shoulder gently. For once, I didn't know what else to say. My feelings for him were too confused.

I walked away with Genma and Aoba, pushing back my hair with a sigh. It must have been barely half an hour since the attack began and I was already mentally exhausted. Before we could speak to Shikaku and ask him what he wanted us to do, a shout sounded out in the amphitheater: "INCOMING PROJECTILE!"

We all dropped to the floor and rolled against the nearest surface for the little protection it would grant us. A second later, something connected with the wall and windows. The shock was small but, with a worrying hissing sound, it liberated a gas. Yellowish wreaths of smoke came from the air vents. They irritated the eyes and chafed at the throat and nose.

"Toxic gas!" Shizune shouted. "Evacuate the room! Stay down!"

I saw her near the door. She, Iruka and Anko had managed to herd the children, and they were almost all out of the room.

Genma grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet, extracting me from the tangle of limbs I had ended up in with Aoba. I grabbed my ex by the hand while I was at it, and the three of us ran for the door, bent in half to get as much clean air as we could.

Once outside, we were a dozen of people coughing and rubbing our eyes.

"Don't touch your eyes!" Shizune ordered. Iruka and Anko were evacuating the children toward the evacuation tunnel, but Shizune had stayed behind to take care of us. "You need water. Wash your hands and your face, then swallow several mouthfuls and spit it out!"

"Who the fuck has so much water?" someone groaned with a hoarse voice.

"Did you go to the Academy or not?" Genma croaked. "Bathroom!"

We all rushed toward the — fortunately close — bathrooms, uncaring of which one was supposed to be for the boys or girls. The bathrooms' floor ended up covered in water as we rinsed in an hurry.

Drying my face with a handkerchief, I glanced at myself in a mirror to see red eyes staring back at me. They were still stinging. Breathing and swallowing was unpleasant. This day was just getting better and better.

"Was that snake's spit?" someone asked. "Did a snake fucking spit at us?"

"Venom. It's called venom," Aoba replied.

"Ve-nope-I'm-out-of-here, you mean."

A few stifled laughs sounded out, but humor was short lived in the middle of an attack. We were out of the bathroom the next moment. Shizune had left. Shikaku was now holding court in the library, looking unscathed — I'd bet that he had managed to leave the room before the gas, somehow.

"Wow. You all look like shit," a voice pointed out.

A mix of "fuck you Uchiha" and "shut up Shisui" was our collective reply, and Shisui raised his hands in surrender while laughing at our chorus.

"My bad. Well, Genma-san, Aoba-san, you're with me. If you want to get some snake for dinner, now is your chance."

Genma hesitated. He had been ordered by the Hokage to stay with me, after all — S-class assets needed to be protected in case of emergency and all that.

Shikaku resolved his dilemma by calling me and gesturing for me to join him. "She'll stay with me, Genma. Go."

"Yes, Commander."

We kissed briefly. A moment later, the team of three was jumping out of the nearest window and I took my place of assistant by the Commander's side.

oOo

Jiraiya arrived an hour after the start of the attack. On one hand, more power for us: great! On the other hand, three sannin and the Yondaime fighting each other: architecture disaster.

Apartment blocks were destroyed, as well as a school, numerous shops, parts of the Akimichi, Yamanaka and Aburame compounds. A bridge and parts of the outer wall had been demolished. A reprocessing plant had burst open, discharging trash in the Nara forest. A water tower had been smashed: five specialists of water jutsu had to channel the waves into a useful force against the snakes rather than into a flooding, but it was still such a waste.

Another dozen creatures (bigger, so older victims) had been stopped from rampaging through town and dragged to the handful of people who had been taught how to deal with them. From time to time, I was interrupted in my administrative work by a "Sorry ma'am, I was told to bring this seal to you. I don't know where I'm supposed to stick it on this… guy?". The creatures were so grotesque that I sometimes had difficulties locating the proper chakra pathway. On one instance, we had to hail a passing Hyuuga and get him to do it.

At an hour and ten minutes, there was a sudden silence. No more explosions. Nothing.

We looked at each other, wondering if that was it, Orochimaru was defeated, but there was still a giant snake visible from the window.

After a few minutes in a state of uncertainty, an ANBU appeared and announced: "Orochimaru has taken one of ours hostage and asked for negotiations. Shikaku-san, Maiko-san, you're required."

The astounded silence was broken by Inoichi: "Who? Who is the hostage?"

"Shiranui Genma."

I grew pale, let out a sound of dismay and dropped the pen I was holding. The world seemed to have shifted, leaving me unbalanced, and I was grateful to be sitting.

Shikaku gently called for me and helped me get to my feet. "Trust us," he murmured to me.

I nodded. My faith in him and Minato was the only thing keeping me relatively calm. This was just a temporary hitch. Everything would be fine soon enough. I was sure of this. I refused to imagine anything else.

Shikaku ordered me to hold onto him. I closed my eyes at the disagreeable sensation of being a passenger during a body flicker jutsu. We stopped on a rooftop near the battlefield, to see Gamabunta facing Manda. Katsuyu had disappeared after getting rid of one of the giant snakes — or at least I thought so until I noticed the smaller white slug on Tsunade's shoulder.

The air smelled of woody but sulfurous smoke (burnt trees, definitely, and too many explosive seals). A broken fountain was spewing water, which was blown around by the wind.

Shikaku jumped on Gamabunta's back and put me down so we could run all the way up to the toad's head, where Minato, Tsunade and Jiraiya were waiting. However, Minato joined us mid-way, where we were out of sight of Orochimaru.

"I'm sorry, Maiko," he said with a hand on my arm.

"What happened?"

"I believe this was his goal all along — or at least one of them, he didn't hide his distaste for Konoha and his willingness to do a maximum of damage. He wants something from you. I don't know what, but he wants to bargain for you and I won't let that happen."

"But, Genma…"

"I won't let anything happen to Genma, either," he said firmly. "Shikaku, I'm gonna need your genius, here."

Shikaku hummed and scratched his goatee. "Do you have an idea?"

"You won't like it," Minato warned with a smirk.

"I never like them. Your ideas are the craziest, and it's my job to make them realisable," Shikaku sighed, "but I accepted that job, for the better and the worst."

"Maiko…"

"I'd do anything for Genma... except pet a snake," I cut in. "Just tell me what to do."

oOo Genma's PoV oOo

This turn of event was extremely annoying. As a bodyguard, Genma wasn't accustomed to being held hostage. He wasn't supposed to be important enough to find himself in that kind of situation. He didn't recall having done anything to catch Orochimaru's attention either, so his only guess was that Orochimaru's spies network had pegged him as valuable enough for the Yondaime to negotiate. To his bewilderment (although he wasn't _really_ surprised, the Hokage was a good and diplomatic leader who cared for all his shinobi, but this felt surreal nonetheless), this was exactly what was happening.

To be bounded by and with a living being was a new experience too, and he wasn't really fond of it. The long snake constricting him liked to squeeze from time to time, cutting his breathing for a few seconds. Genma wasn't even surprised that the beast was as sadistic as its master. Its venom-coated fangs were also hovering too close to his neck for his liking. Lying on his side at Orochimaru's feet (which was another reason to be pissed, his dignity was taking a hit), Genma barely felt his hands anymore.

He was trying to stay calm and not let it get to him. At least he was glad that Maiko wasn't in his place (this time). He knew that the Yondaime wouldn't let anything happen to her.

At this moment, Maiko appeared on Gamabunta's head, near the Hokage, Jiraiya and Tsunade, a few dozens meters away from Manda. She looked alright but concerned. Geez, when Kakashi heard about this, Genma would be ridiculed for weeks for worrying their girlfriend (how the tables turn).

"Maiko is here, as you requested, Orochimaru. What do you want?" the Yondaime asked, raising his voice to be heard.

"Isn't it obvious?" Orochimaru replied snidely.

"Don't waste our time!" Tsunade shouted. "We told you there would be no exchange so get to the fucking point!"

"How little they care for you," Orochimaru told Genma, his voice too low to be heard by anyone else, "but then you're just a spare, easily replaced by your boss _and_ your lovers."

Genma only replied with a disdainful stare. This kind of taunt wasn't worth his attention. He would have made a snarky comment, but his previous retorts had been met by a hissing threat from the snake-rope anyway (not that it would have stopped him if he _really_ wanted to talk, but Maiko's nightmares about swallowing snakes had been more catching than he'd thought).

"Very well," Orochimaru said louder, "no exchange, but I want to see the _seal_. Let her come, alone."

"She's not going anywhere near you alone, you bastard!" Jiraiya shouted. "I'm coming! Move your slimy ass!"

Orochimaru hissed in annoyance as Jiraiya caught Maiko by the waist without waiting and jumped over the distance separating them. Orochimaru side-stepped them while Genma was moved over by the snake unrolling itself a bit.

"There. Now, nothing untoward, buddy, I'm keeping watch!" Jiraiya warned.

Orochimaru rolled his eyes. " _You_ 're the pervert here."

"Ha! I know y—"

"Could we get this over with?" Maiko interrupted with an impatient glance at Jiraiya. She pulled on her shirt to reveal her midriff, pinching Jiraiya when he got an eyeful. "Focus!"

Genma kept his face blank, but he felt like something was off. He couldn't really define why, but Maiko had never looked at him or the snake, entirely focused on Orochimaru, and that was unlike her.

"Right, the seal…" Jiraiya said. "Well, to be honest, bastard… you're ten months late!"

What followed happened in a couple of seconds: Jiraiya attacked Orochimaru, Maiko stabbed the snake holding Genma, a kunai flew by, the Yondaime appeared to join the fight against Orochimaru, and Maiko transformed into Shikaku as he grabbed Genma and jumped away from the smoke left by the snake summon's departure.

"Shit," Genma breathed. So _that_ was the issue with his girlfriend. "You make a surprisingly good Maiko, Commander, it's uncanny."

"Don't make it weird," Shikaku replied, catching himself on a neighbouring roof.

"Don't worry, I'm not opening that can of worms." Genma stood up on his own, rubbing his abused ribcage with a wince (he was expecting bruises).

"Commander," Shisui said as he appeared on the roof by their side. "I dropped Aoba by the hospital. His injuries are severe, but his prognosis is good."

Orochimaru had basically steamrolled Aoba to catch Genma. It was a proof of Shisui's rapidity that they had reached the hospital in time. Genma had been convinced that he would have to announce his death to Maiko.

"Good—" Shikaku started.

A scream turned their blood to ice. _That_ was Maiko.

oOo Maiko's PoV oOo

I gritted my teeth as blood trickled down my pants.

I was waiting in a nearby street, watching intently the confrontation between Shikaku and Orochimaru, ready to attract the sannin's attention if necessary, when I had been attacked from behind.

The traitor had stabbed me in the thigh. He had also purposefully torn my pants to show the injury and blood. I didn't have time to wonder why. He jumped on Gamabunta's back and pushed me in front of him. Tsunade, ready to punch the living hell out of him, froze, paralysed by her hemophobia. The bastard had planned this, using her only weakness against her.

The fight between Orochimaru, Jiraya and Minato had paused.

The missing-nin remarked snidely: "Now, can we have a decent conversation?"

Gamabunta had gotten his quota of human conversation and became impatient. I felt him move under my quivering feet as he grumbled: "I'm not a stage for showmen. Let's even this field." The giant toad nonchalantly stabbed Manda with his unsheathed blade. They disappeared in a cloud of smoke… right under our feet!

I squealed as I fell from a building's height. The traitor was holding my arms behind my back, my right leg was on fire, and there was absolutely no way I could catch myself without breaking a few bones.

Fortunately, the smoke was the perfect cover for an attack on my assailant. I heard a punch, a grunt, and then I was pulled to the side in his fall. This time, I was free! I made an attempt to adjust my position, but I was grateful when someone caught me before we reached the ground.

"Hey, sweetheart."

I threw my arms around Genma's neck and squeezed in thanks, fear and relief mixed. Over his shoulder, I caught sight of Shikaku holding Tsunade, and Shisui sitting on the traitor's back and tying his hands.

Behind us, I heard the telltale sounds of a battle. Orochimaru and his two opponents had started anew in the middle of the trampled square, hidden among tendrils of smoke.

"We need to bandage this," Genma said, staring at my thigh worriedly.

"Get us out of the way of the sannin first, please and thank you," I requested.

We moved in an adjacent, calmer street. ANBU met us there and Shisui handed his prisoner to them. I didn't have the occasion to see his face before. I knew him, like I knew most shinobi passing by my office. If my memory was right, he was a former student of Orochimaru, a teammate of Anko. That wouldn't help her reputation. She was going to be pissed.

"How is she?" I asked about Tsunade as Genma and Shikaku dropped us off on a windowsill, side by side.

She was shaking and white as a sheet. Her breathing was too fast. Her summon, Katsuyu, was trying to talk her through the panic attack.

"Compromised," Shikaku replied.

"You should probably move her away from me," I pointed out. "Better yet, just take her back to Shizune, she'll know how to help."

Shikaku nodded and signaled for Shisui to comply.

"You need a medic," Genma said as he wrapped my thigh in gauze to slow the hemorrhage.

"I'll send one your way if I can," Shisui promised before leaving.

"Commander!" an ANBU shouted from a nearby roof. "They're moving this way!" He gestured for us to run further. Genma didn't waste time in complying, lifting me again in a princess carry.

A wall crumbled in a wave of dust and fell down where we had been a moment before. I hid my face in Genma's shoulder to protect my eyes and airways.

"I need to coordinate the efforts," Shikaku said. "Genma, secu—"

Interrupted by a white snake jumping at us from a gutter, the Jounin Commander transformed it into a pincushion for shuriken. His reflexes were impressive, but the beast burst into smaller ones, forcing Genma and Shikaku to separate and flee on higher ground. I squeezed Genma a little tighter at the hissing noises and triangular heads pointing their forked tongues in my direction. They were like a carpet of cat-size slithering nightmares. My jaw was clenched to hold back a squeal of fright.

"They're targeting Maiko!" Shikaku warned.

"Worry not!" A familiar voice shouted. Gai made his entrance with a salto and started to stomp on snakes with the grace of a dancer and the velocity of a master chef cutting vegetables. "The Green Beast of Konoha will not allow any of those beasts to reach my rival's precious loved ones in his absence! I'll protect you!"

"Did he take dance lessons?" I asked as I watched his fight in morbid fascination, admiration and gratefulness (my new hero!).

"Yes. He dragged me to them too. Don't ask. I don't want to remember it ever again," Genma demanded.

Speechless, I jotted that down in a corner of my mind and then shook my head to focus on more pressing matters. "Why is Orochimaru obsessed with my seal?" I hissed. "He already studied it!"

"Well, darling, I'm not really eager for the opportunity to ask him," Genma replied, jumping from roof to roof as he fled.

There was an explosion coming from where we came from. Its heat warmed our cheeks bitten by the wind and its force led Genma to stop to secure his footing. I glanced over his shoulder. "I don't see any snake anymore… Did they got Orochimaru?"

"Considering he's worse than cockroaches, I'm not crying victory until the Yondaime told me so," Genma pointed out as he resumed his run.

We were met by a medic-nin and her bodyguard (in a war-zone, every medic had to be escorted) on a flat roof. Genma paused to let the doctor do her work.

I let out a sigh of relief when the injury closed. I had been gritting my teeth and clenching my fists to keep the pain quiet and not worry Genma — each time he landed, the shock had sent a new twinge through my leg. I had even managed to cut my palm with my nails. "Bless you," I murmured to the medic, who smiled in reply before disappearing toward the nearby hospital. She probably was overworked.

Finally able to stand on my own feet, I flexed my leg carefully. It was still tender, but I could move without risk of blood loss.

An ANBU stopped by a second later and announced the best news of the day: "Orochimaru has been defeated. Yondaime-sama is asking for you to bring Object 4074."

My sigh of relief was interrupted by my surprise at the request.

"What's wrong?" Genma asked.

I shook my head before turning toward the Hokage tower. "I need to… It's in the private archives."

Genma accompanied me without protest, but as soon as we were alone in the secure archives, he caught my elbow and raised his eyebrows expectantly.

"It's my seal," I explained in a whisper. "4074 for 'death - void - luck & death'. It's the transcription of my seal."

"You think it's a trick of Orochimaru?"

I frowned. Actually, that wasn't what I had in mind at all. "Do you think this ANBU was a fraud?"

"No, it's— I mean, I can vouch for him."

From his answer, I supposed I actually knew this ANBU in his day-to-day life. Raidou or Iwashi, maybe? The hair would match. However, that wasn't something I should think too much about.

"Then, no, I don't think that's the issue," I replied as I opened the compartment holding the large scroll. "There must be a reason why Yondaime-sama needs it, however. Something linked to Orochimaru's obsession with it." I removed the scroll and was surprised to see my fingers tremble.

I had been rid of this seal months ago, thanks to the combined efforts of Minato and Jiraiya, as well as the attentive monitoring of Tsunade (who had to revive me when my heart failed at the removal of the seal… a detail which Genma and Kakashi weren't privy to, I might add). It had felt like the removal of a sword of Damocles, freeing me of a low but constant anxiety. I had felt so much better afterward, convinced that this part of my life was over and done with.

I hadn't realized how much being forced to deal with its presence (even inactive) again would affect me.

"Hey," Genma breathed, pulling me in his arms. "It's alright, sweetheart. Deep breath in, slow breath out."

After a few respirations, I was calm again and nodded to inform Genma he could let me go. Straightening, I closed the compartment and wedged the scroll under my arm. This stupid thing couldn't hurt me! It was just ink and paper, that's all. Determined, I moved toward the door with long strides. "Let's get this done!"

"That's my girl," Genma chuckled.

The attack on Konoha had stopped with Orochimaru's death. The town was quiet, only troubled by shinobi assessing the damage to plan the first priority measures. Any fire started by the fighting had been extinguished, and the smoke was dispersed by the wind.

The square which we had left only a dozen minutes before was surrounded by a gaggle of shinobi trying to catch a glance of Orochimaru's corpse. It was morbid, but I was well placed to know that his death was also difficult to believe unless you had a concrete proof. I noticed Anko in the crowd.

ANBU let us reach Minato and Jiraiya, crouched over a body. Once I got a good view of it, I had to take a second to control my gag reflex. Orochimaru had been hit with a Rasengan in the left shoulder. His left arm was separate from the body, his rib-cage open and his heart reduced to a bloody blob. His face was scarred with concentric lacerations. It wasn't pretty, and it stank of blood.

I cleared my throat, decided that I could care less about dignity and pinched my nose before offering the scroll to Minato.

"Thank you," he said distractedly, applying his chakra to the sealed lock to unroll it. "I'm sorry to force you into this position, Maiko, but a Hyuuga has informed us that a… lost soul hovers around Orochimaru's body and, considering his obsession with your seal…"

"You think he used the seal on himself," I concluded. That was actually the theory I was toying with.

"Yes."

"He and his fucking obsession of immortality," Jiraiya grumbled. I pretended not to see the tears he dried as he rubbed his eyes.

"Sensei?" Minato was also carefully looking everywhere but at Jiraiya, like everyone around.

"Yeah, yeah, go on with it," the sannin sighed.

No-one was surprised when they indeed uncovered the same seal.

"The idiot must have realized too late that he was stuck in his body, which explain his blind obsession with you, Maiko. He wanted to use you somehow to reverse his mistake," Jiraiya pointed out as he stood up. "It's unlike him to make such a stupid mistake though."

"He was seriously hurt during our previous confrontation, was he not?" Minato pondered. "He might have been pressured in utilizing the untested seal on himself by his medical condition."

"Possible," Jiraiya agreed. "It's the only explanation which makes sense. Well… let's get this over with."

"Sensei, I can…"

"No," Jiraiya replied firmly but shortly. He didn't explain himself, and Minato didn't insist.

We were ordered to step back. I moved further as I understood what was going to happen. I felt the heat of the flames as the body was burnt to ashes and smelt the accelerant used to hasten the combustion, but I didn't watch. Orochimaru might have been an enemy, but his fate could have been mine and that was a disturbing thought.

The sun was getting low on the horizon as this nightmarish day ended. I looked at the mess of stone which used to be a fountain and rubbed the back of my neck as I realized that work was far from finished. I should probably go back to the office to accept and organize the reports which would soon pour in.

"Hey," Genma whispered as he embraced me from behind. "Are you alright, love?"

"Yeah," I murmured, squeezing his hand. "I'm glad you're here."

He kissed my temple before chuckling and pointing his chin toward a roof. "Guess who is late to the party?"

An ANBU team was gathering on the roof. Its leader had silver hair defying gravity.

oOo Kakashi's PoV oOo

"What the fuck did we miss?"

Kakashi didn't take note of who had spoken. His eyes had been drawn to two silhouettes in the middle of the destroyed square. Genma, then Maiko, looked back at him. They were disheveled but uninjured — or at least that cut on Maiko's thigh seemed to have been dealt with. Since he had already caught sight of Minato near the pyre, that was all he needed to know.

Kakashi made a sign toward an adjacent street before telling his team: "Back in a sec."

Before they could protest, he jumped in the back alley and hid under a porch. Genma and Maiko joined him a moment later.

As soon as she saw he had removed his ANBU mask, Maiko ran in his arms. He caught her and twirled her around to offset her momentum, pulling her close enough for her to cling to him with her legs around his waist like a koala.

Chuckling, Genma walked to them more nonchalantly and squeezed Kakashi's shoulder. "Late again, but just in time for the hugs."

"Maa, you know me. What did I miss?"

Maiko kissed his masked cheek loudly. "Genma got kidnapped, I got stabbed to the thigh but I'm healed now, and Yondaime-sama and Jiraiya-sama kicked Orochimaru's ass permanently. There were too many snakes, and Orochimaru gave a cursed seal to some innocent people, including children, so that was a mess, but we should be fine now. What about you?"

"Aah. Tobi's dead."

Maiko uncrossed her legs, her feet connecting with the ground loudly. She took a step back to check him out, while Genma straightened and did a similar double take.

"I'm not injured," Kakashi added as he scratched his cheek through his mask (sweat and dirt made it itchy).

Genma and Maiko exchanged a look before turning back toward him with raised eyebrows.

"I might want to cuddle, read and sleep for a week," he admitted reluctantly, in a very low voice.

They hugged him and kissed his cheeks, each on one side, without a word.

"I feel like this day is far from over yet," Maiko murmured, "but I promise you we'll be there for you as soon as possible."

He nodded and kissed her forehead, before clearing his throat. "I should go now. I need to strangle all my team for eavesdropping."

They looked over their shoulders to see heads disappearing behind a nearby roof.

When Kakashi jumped on the tiles, hidden anew behind his ANBU mask, Rin, Itachi and Utakata were the only ones not pretending to be focused on the square.

"I was ensuring your privacy and anonymity were respected," Itachi replied primly at Kakashi's prompting.

"What Itachi said," Rin replied, but he could hear her mirth.

"I was curious to see your loved ones," Utakata chipped in. "You're a lucky man."

Kakashi groaned and shook his head. "Let's get this damn mission over with. I don't want to see your faces for a week."

* * *

 _As promised, this chapter arrived more quickly and it's action packed! Not my forte, but I hope you liked it. Thanks to **Sage Thrasher** for being the best beta, as always. =)_

 _If you check my profile, you'll find a poll about relationships for potential future stories and a link toward a Discord server if you want to talk to me (I have no idea how Discord works, Sage just converted me, so beware! but I'll be here as often as I can in the hours following this publication)._


	24. A Hatake wedding

Five days later, I came home from work to find Kakashi and Genma sitting on the ground with their back to the couch, wrapped in blankets. They were watching a travel documentary on the Land of Hot Water while drinking tea and eating anpan. It was adorable... and not really a sight I was accustomed to.

Genma gestured for me to join them, breaking me out of my contemplation. They made space for me, and I carefully stepped between them among their blankets nest. When I asked for food, they offered me part of theirs instead of getting up to find some more.

"So this is lazy day?" I asked.

"Hell, yeah," Genma breathed. "I'm beat. Days of repairs just after that fight… it's exhausting. I'd take weeks of escort mission over days of this. "

I hummed in understanding and craned my neck to kiss his cheek. "But we wouldn't see each other during a mission," I pointed out with a pout.

He chuckled. "There is that." He pecked my forehead and put an arm around my shoulders, pulling me against his side.

Resting my head on his shoulder, I glanced at Kakashi.

Since Obito's death, he was more withdrawn than usual, but that wasn't surprising (I had feared worse, like isolation and silence). He spent a lot of time with Rin and Minato, which was expected too. No one else could understand what they all went felt after such difficult turnarounds (I didn't pretend to). They needed each other now more than ever. Remembering how he had to grieve without them in another world and how badly it had affected his life, I was glad for him.

Knowing that he had all the support he needed and confident that I would catch any hint that he needed more help, I didn't worry… too much. Alright, so I _might_ be watching him like a hawk, but I made sure I wasn't overbearing.

Noticing my attention, he looked away from the screen to eye-smile reassuringly.

I smiled back and impulsively leaned sideway to peck his masked cheek. "Love you," I murmured before going back to leeching Genma's warmth. Kakashi's hand coming to rest on my thigh was answer enough.

His small gestures of affection were worth thousand of words.

oOo

It was raining softly but steadily when we went to look for Kakashi four days later. In unspoken agreement, we looked at the Memorial Stone first and were unsurprised to find him kneeling in front of it. Genma leaned against a tree, protected from the rain by its branches, while I twirled my umbrella, admiring the raindrops' fall. We waited patiently for Kakashi to join us, but he called us over instead.

With silent, respectful steps, we stopped in front of the Memorial Stone, where the names of Orochimaru's victims had recently been inscribed. Kakashi wasn't here for them though.

"Does he still deserve his name on it?" he asked.

"Obito died protecting you and Rin during a vital mission for Konoha, and his body was never brought back," Genma pointed out, the first of us to recover from the abrupt question. "I'm pretty sure he checks all the boxes."

"What about the 'wasn't really dead and attacked his own village' box?" Kakashi replied dryly.

Genma glanced at me as his senbon tilted in a silent question: "Are you taking this one?"

I breathed in and nodded. "Since we're speaking philosophy, let me ask: is a tortured man responsible for his words and actions done under pressure?"

"No," he replied immediately before hesitating: "A shinobi must resist torture."

"Rule number…?"

"Forty-four."

"You know, I think I put that leaflet on fire," I mentioned to Genma.

"I folded it into an airplane and lost it in a tree somewhere," Genma replied with a smirk.

"I pointedly refused to learn those rules and told our sensei that I was really horrible at learning by heart. I replied perfectly to all the math questions to compensate and get her off my case. She called me 'calculator' after that."

"Never been able to memorise more than the first twenty questions. Pretty sure I forgot half of them."

"We're such bad shinobi," I sighed, shaking my head.

Genma shrugged. "What can you do…"

Kakashi was looking at the sky. I couldn't see his face and wondered for a second if we had been too disrespectful. With a sigh, he stood up from his crouch and turned to face us. He wasn't angry, but he looked tired and defeated. I knew he wasn't sleeping well.

"Listen," I said as I grasped his fingers and tilted my umbrella to shield him too. "This isn't a black-or-white, right-or-wrong question. Obito had done good and bad things. Maybe the good doesn't outweigh the bad; who are we to say? What really matter is… what do you want to remember of him? The twisted being? Or the damned kid who drove you crazy and taught you life lessons?"

He snorted and eye-smiled but didn't answer (he didn't need to).

"You don't need to carry the burdens of his actions, Kakashi," I insisted while squeezing his fingers. "And you don't need to question your own grief. You have the right to feel… whatever you're feeling: sadness, pain, anger… whatever. The heart doesn't listen to reason, and it shouldn't have to. I love you both against my own judgement, after all."

Genma made a token protest.

Kakashi pulled me against his chest and pressed his face to my hair. I felt his lips covered in fabric against my temple before he withdrew and cleared his throat pointedly. "Maa… Sorry, I'm late."

Subject closed, apparently… for now.

"It's alright," I said. "We get it. You were lost on the road of life."

He eye-smiled. "How did you know?"

Genma tousled Kakashi's hair. "Look at you. So wet that even your mop of hair is slouching and dripping," he teased. "Let's go dry up. And since you're late, you buy!"

"Maa, fine, but leave the hair alone," Kakashi sighed. We walked toward Konoha's most busy districts and the restaurant we had agreed on. It had the most delicious gyoza of Konoha, and I was really hungry after waiting more than half an hour.

"Nice speech by the way," Genma told me.

"Thanks. I'll be writing Hokage-sama's speeches now. They're going to be full of 'whatever'."

"I can't wait to hear it."

They both threw an arm around my shoulders, tilting their heads to be protected by the umbrella. The water covering their clothes went down my neck. I considered protesting until Genma kissed my cheek and Kakashi intertwined our fingers. Fine. I could probably deal with a bit of dampness to humor my affective boyfriends. Smiling at their antics, I returned the kiss and squeezed Kakashi's hand.

"I'm glad this district was left unscathed," I said as we sat at a low table. "The streets and restaurants are lovely."

Genma hummed in agreement and leaned against me, our shoulders touching. "Still swamped by the rebuilding reports?"

"Please don't remind me of work and _don't_ start on the trash jokes," I groaned. "The reprocessing plant's owner came to complain today about the reparations taking too long. Obviously, Yondaime-sama was too busy to see him, so Yoshino and I got into a debate with him about economy versus ecology," I explained to Kakashi. "Considering that Yoshino is not pleased about the trash making the deer sick, it got ugly." I shook my head. "Let's not rehash it. We should talk about something else."

"Like what?" Genma asked before the waiter came to take our orders.

I shrugged before jumping on the first idea coming to me: "How are your ninken, Kakashi? It has been a while since I saw them."

"They're recovering from our fight against Tobi," Kakashi replied. "Bisuke and Uhei in particular took a bad hit when immobilizing him." As I straightened (Bisuke was one of my favorites with Guruko, they were the most affectionate), he added reassuringly: "They'll be fine. They already can walk again."

"I'm glad. You should summon them soon. They all deserve some cuddles."

"I'm in," Genma agreed. He was fond of Kakashi's ninken too, although his favorites were Uhei and Akino — they had the same laid-back attitude.

"Haa. I can do it tonight," Kakashi agreed easily.

"I was hoping for a different kind of cuddles tonight," Genma quipped, resting a hand on my thigh. Noticing Kakashi's tired expression, he added: "Nevermind."

"I don't mind if you want to, together," Kakashi said with a shrug. He simply wasn't in the mood for sex, and there was nothing wrong with that.

I patted Genma's hand and kissed his cheek. "We'll see," I murmured, to which he nodded obligingly.

Genma was always in the mood for sex, but he wasn't selfish enough to push either.

When we left the restaurant, Kakashi led us toward a small park, where he summoned his ninken. I used to be a little overwhelmed by their number at first, but Kakashi had trained them well and they were mindful of my unease. Now, we were familiar enough with each other that I didn't worry anymore, welcoming my favorites with open arms as I crouched to scratch them behind the ears.

"How are you boys? Bisuke, sweetie, are you feeling better?"

Guruko rested his front paws on my knee and waved his tail excitedly, while Bisuke was more careful, leaning into my touch passively. His ribcage was bandaged.

"It still hurts when I jumped, but I'm getting better," he replied.

"I'm glad. Do you want me to carry you? Oh, but it might be a bad idea..."

"No! I want to!" Bisuke demanded excitedly.

Hesitant, I looked up and met Kakashi's vigilant eye. He moved toward us and showed me how to carry the small dog safely. I followed his instructions, frowning in concentration and concern. Once I had Bisuke in the right hold, Kakashi smoothed a thumb over my forehead. The corner of his eye was crinkled in a soft expression.

"I leave him in your care," he murmured.

"You can count on me," I promised before kissing Bisuke's muzzle. He yipped in pleasure, his forelegs resting on my forearm. Guruko whined in jealousy at my feet. I gave him a smile. "We'll cuddle when we get home, Guru-kun, I promise. Just be a little patient, alright?"

He nodded obediently, and we moved toward the rest of the pack. Genma was holding a treat high in the air for Akino while Uhei (with bandaged hind legs) was leaning against his calf. Akino's jump was a reminder that those dogs were trained ninken who could jumped at your throat without any trouble. He chewed on his treat with a satisfied air but relented at Uhei's pleading eyes and leaned toward him to offer a bite. Genma rewarded this sharing act with a scratch behind the ear, before lifting Uhei.

"Alright, let's go," Kakashi called. "We're taking the roof. Pakkun, lead the way."

I wondered why we didn't walk home along the streets since we weren't far from our flat, but I quickly realized we weren't actually going back home. Kakashi was ahead, too far to ask him where we were going without shouting, so I glanced at Genma with a raised eyebrow. He shrugged in ignorance. Neither of us were willing to sprint to catch up with our boyfriend, too mindful of the wounded dogs we were carrying.

After a minute, we jumped down from a roof in the empty courtyard of a traditional house. The place looked a bit plain, but it was tidy and big enough for a large family. Its architecture was characteristic of Konoha's founding period, which led me to think it might be a clan house. It was in a quiet district though, and I didn't remember anyone important living there from my days in the Genin Corps. Unfortunately, dwindling clans vacating their old homes because they became too big for the last survivors wasn't unheard of.

I frowned at the dogs jumping on the patio. "Now, boys, what are you doing? This is someone's home, be—"

Akino jumped in the air and pulled on a rope I hadn't see in the darkness. It unrolled a banner. It took me a few seconds to read its message under the moonlight, but then I was speechless, gaping and eyes blown wide. I could only mouth a "Oh" of wonder.

I wasn't the only one caught unaware: Genma spit out his senbon in shock, piercing the banner in the middle of the kanji for "marry".

"Bite me," he breathed.

Uhei obediently complied, and Genma swore, shaking his hand at the light sting before putting the ninken down. Successfully shaken out of his daze, he shouted at the shadows: "Kakashi, you sly dog!"

I was still stuck on the " _Would you marry me?"_ and its subtitle: " _The Hatake's house is ours if you agree."_

Genma dragged Kakashi away from his hiding place. I barely noticed the hint of embarrassment Kakashi tried to hide behind forced nonchalance when Genma teased him about being all mysterious and secretive for the sake of romance.

"Since when did you plan this?"

"Maa… I got the house back from its tenants three months ago. I thought about it when I was restoring it. Then, with people needing new homes because of the destroyed buildings, I thought this might be the right time to leave our flat. We can move in whenever you want. We don't need to wait for… anything." Kakashi seemed to do everything he could so he didn't have to say the words 'wedding' or 'marriage'.

The banner wasn't surprising when you knew that Kakashi was more comfortable writing or reading about feelings rather than talking about them. Still, it was a bit amusing, especially considering that he was so good at not talking about it that Genma and I hadn't been expecting it all.

"Kakashi," I interrupted before they could go on a tangent. I put down Bisuke, tugged on Kakashi's vest and draw him forward. "The answer is yes, of course," I said with a smile. I pulled down his mask, cupped his cheek and kissed him tenderly.

"You like it?" he asked, a little unsure (it was a rare occasion when he showed his vulnerability without sarcasm or self-mockery).

"I do. It's sweet."

"And mysterious," Genma added with exaggerated awe.

I nudged him with an amused roll of my eyes. "Don't you have something else to say instead?" At his lack of understanding, I pointed out: "Your answer."

"Wh—? Uh… Yes?" he said, a little baffled. "It's not really about me though. I mean, as long as _you_ say yes..."

"Last time I checked, there were three people in this relationship," Kakashi drawled.

I hummed in agreement. "Triad courting, remember? We're in this together."

The corner of his lips tilted upward. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Well, then, yes… let's make this crazy relationship official."

"I have no idea how this is supposed to go," I noted. "Is there really a courting?"

"In theory, there is," Kakashi admitted, scratching his cheek sheepishly, "but we don't have to go through all of the old traditions. The main ones should be enough, and we already lived together for years so the 'courting' part is already done when you think about it."

"So, what's left?"

"Well…" Kakashi glanced at Genma, who knew him well enough to say:

"Oh, this is going to be good."

oOo

"Is this really necessary?" I asked Kakashi two weeks later, as we sat on a wooden fence around a training ground.

"No… but it's fun," he replied, watching the fight with an amused eye.

As the man which wasn't from a clan in our triad, Genma had to prove he was worthy of joining the Hatake family by showing off his capacities. As a shinobi, that meant fighting, but because Kakashi might be biased (he was), a parental figure had to do it. This is how the Yondaime ended up fighting his own bodyguard to confirm he was worthy of his student.

We all knew that Minato wasn't going to say no, he approved of our relationship, but they seemed to enjoy this tremendously. Their battle was more about showing-off than anything serious. Genma was sporting a manic grin while Minato was chuckling every other second.

I found it rather absurd personally, but since they all had fun…

"Is there anything else we have to do?"

Kakashi hummed without looking away from the show. "If I still had family, this would be more complicated, but as it is we can do basically whatever we want. I should talk to your mother, though."

"To tell her what?" I asked, suspicious. If he said he needed to ask for my hand in marriage, I was putting my foot down. Feudal world or not, there were traditions I didn't want anything to do with.

"To get her to convince you to wear the kimono," he said as if it was obvious.

I gaped in outrage. "You're going to turn my mom against me?!"

"I'm a shinobi: I'd do anything to get my way," he pointed out smugly.

"I thought we agreed on a simple ceremony," I protested. None of us were the type to put time, money and effort into making a giant show of what was for us a simple officialization of our commitment to each other. If it wasn't for Genma's mother and mine, we would have gone for an intimate ceremony with the three of us and no reception, and be done with it — as it was, we agreed it was too risky; Genma's mom could be deadly when displeased.

"It doesn't mean you can't wear a traditional kimono."

"I don't understand why you're insisting so much about this. Is it because it's your mother's?" He had found the kimono in a box while renovating the house, and he had shown it to me. It was a gorgeous white shiromuku with red lining and intricate shining motifs. I felt it was excessive for the simple gathering with friends and family we had in mind.

"There is that," he admitted. "It's one of the last things I have of her. I would like to see it worn, to know how it would look outside of pictures…"

There was also another box of photo frames of his parents (and baby Kakashi). I had caught him going through it once, but then he had closed it and put it away. While he was working on his family issues, he wasn't over them yet.

"A traditional wedding kimono is so complicated and heavy," I whined, but I was a empathetic push-over, my determination was waning.

"Also, Genma is absurdly excited about seeing you in it."

I frowned and glanced at our boyfriend bending low to dodge Minato's kick. "Really? He didn't say."

"He didn't want you to feel pressured with both of us asking."

"That doesn't seem to bother you."

He pointed to himself with a smug look. "Shinobi."

"Asshole. Fine, I'll wear the kimono, but you won't _ever_ make me wear a wig or _that_ hat."

"I can live with that," he agreed readily.

Wigs and hats were a little old fashioned. It might still be worn by noble ladies in their generation, but it was more hassle than I was willing to bear for her fiancés.

"Which means you're going to pay for pretty kanzashi for my hair, and while we are at it, I might as well have a matching traditional bouquet of flowers, a _very_ expensive one to honor the quality of the kimono," I demanded. If I had to go through with this, I might as well do it right and bother him while I was at it!

"Oh, so you're going to be an expensive wife. I should have known…"

I punched him in the shoulder, only to take a face full of smoke. I stood up, coughing, and shouted: "Kakashi! Was I seriously talking to a clone all this time?"

Minato and Genma interrupted their fight to glance at me.

Minato helpfully pointed out: "Didn't he tell you? He went to tell Gai about the wedding a few hours ago, and he hasn't been able to… ah… slip away from him since, so he's sending clones in his stead."

"Oh," I said. My outrage vanished as I imagined Gai clinging to his best friend somewhere in Konoha and Kakashi trying to escape his clutches. I cackled in glee. "Serves him right!"

"You were saying?"

I shouted in fright as the voice came from _right behind me,_ and I spun around for a reflexive kick. Casually crouched on the wooden fence with a book in hand, Kakashi caught my ankle and looked up with an eye-smile. "I switched with a clone. _So_ we were talking about how you were going to ruin me, my dear fiancé."

I grabbed him by his jacket and pulled him forward. "You bet I'm going to ruin your stupid face!" I dragged him (or rather he let me drag him) toward the center of the field, where Minato and Genma were watching us amusedly. "Let's spice things up! I'm in Hokage-sama's team. You boys can just cower in fear."

"Splendid idea, Maiko," Minato approved with a cheerful grin.

"Stop dragging me into your messes," Genma complained to Kakashi.

"But, honey, I thought you and I were until death," Kakashi mocked.

"It doesn't mean you need to expedite _my_ death! Should I remind you that you're the rich one in our relationship? You'll inherit nothing if I die prematurely!"

"I'm getting second thoughts," I murmured to Minato.

He grinned. "No, you aren't."

"No, I'm not," I admitted with a fond shake of my head.

oOo

The wedding was held in spring, five months after Orochimaru's attack on Konoha.

The ceremony had been a simple affair, none of us wishing to make a spectacle of ourselves or being fond of long speeches. With three of us, it had already lengthened the vows by half. At least the weather was on my side: while the sky was a little cloudy, it was dry and the perfect temperature to be enveloped in several thick layers of silk. It protected me from the breeze which played with the red kanzashi ornaments in my formal bun.

We had left the gazebo where the ceremony had taken place and went through a gorgeous garden. A red wooden bridge led the way to the reception hall where we would have lunch. Standing there between Genma and Kakashi, I was speaking which each guest before they went to find their places at the tables.

Genma's mother had recruited Izumo and Kotetsu to do her bidding and organize the reception. We had happily let her deal with the matter, knowing it would be in good — though a bit excessive — hands. My own mother was in charge of accepting gifts, and she was gleefully using Gai like her manservant, which he had agreed to with enthusiasm (a bit too much, even for him; I was getting suspicious of their relationship, but Kakashi had warned me with a glance: "don't ask" — I had to agree, ignorance was sometimes bliss).

"Nee-san is so pretty," Naruto murmured in reverent awe.

I chuckled at his admiration for what was in fact a lot of make-up and a ton of fabrics and ornaments. I felt like I could disappear under it all, a mere model for the work of art that was the kimono, but I suppose I didn't make a bad one at least.

I certainly couldn't carry Naruto in this getup however, and he didn't even seem to think of requesting it, finding it much more amusing to hide under the long sleeves of the furisode or under the trail. I let him adjust my arms' position to suit his whims while I talked with the guests.

The congratulations, well-wishes, compliments and thanks followed one after the other, made palatable by the fact that each and everyone of them were from dear friends and family to laugh and joke with.

The Nara, Itachi and his little brother, the Yondaime and all the ANBU who were Genma and Kakashi's friends, Raidou and Rin, Asuma and Kurenai, Neji and his father, Tsunade and Shizune, and even my old sensei from the Genin Corps Akimichi Kuma… Oh, and somehow Jiraiya had showed up (for the sake and Tsunade's company, no doubt).

When every guest had finally gone in the reception hall, I leaned against the bridge's rail and breathed in the fresh air of spring, appreciating this small moment of calm mixed with the low conversations coming from the building nearby.

Genma put an arm around my shoulders and Kakashi leaned on the rail next to me . Both of them stayed quiet, enjoying this moment as much as I did.

I glanced at our reflection in the still water and smiled softly. Kakashi was wearing black and grey while Genma was white and silver. Both of them had a red flower pin to their haori, matching the red round bouquet I was holding at the end of a red cord. The matching colors were cute and Genma's idea.

We made a pretty picture.

I hope we would make an even more beautiful family.

"Someone is missing," I realized. At their questioning glance, I turned toward Kakashi: "Summon your ninken!" At his hesitation, I nudged him. "Come on, this is our wedding! Shouldn't they announce our arrival? Oh, and also, we should be late! Hatake style!" As the idea came to mind, I clapped my hands eagerly.

Genma laughed and grinned at Kakashi. "I'm in. We have your reputation to uphold now, don't we? As Hatake Midori and Hatake Genma, we have to be the worthy representants of our clan head."

Kakashi's lips stretched slowly under his mask and his eyes (both of them were uncovered) closed for a few seconds of amusement before he agreed: "Sounds appropriate."

Barks filled the garden as the pack was summoned and promptly burst into excitement as they realized they were invited to the wedding.

"So pretty, Mai-chan!" Bisuke and Guruko said in unison. I crouched as much as I could to scoop them up in my arms.

"Ah, no! Don't lick my cheeks, there's make-up! So much make-up. It can't be good for you to swallow!" I laughed and tried to evade their tongues. They rubbed their snouts against my neck instead, sniffing at my perfume and waving their tails excitedly.

"What would you say about being our entrance parade boys?" Genma asked after a few minutes of petting.

"If we're going to do this," Pakkun said after they all had loudly agreed, "we should wear a red flower like yours."

Clearly, Pakkun was a master in stage setting. Too bad we hadn't planned this in advance.

When I had suggested being late, I had thought fashionably late, like five to ten minutes maybe.

It was getting closer to fifteen minutes when a pack of ninken which had learned a bit too much from their master opened the door with a bang, posing like a gang of mobsters introducing their boss to the commoners, red flowers pinned to their hitai-ate.

From the view I had of their back, it was hilarious. I hoped someone took a picture. "This is ridiculous," I said, giggling at our antics.

Kakashi and Genma had to go hunt for the red flowers, while I had to stay put due to the cumbersome kimono which didn't allow me to jump on rooftops. However, I had to flee behind a tree when Izumo came to check on us, and I really had felt like a naughty schoolgirl skipping classes. At our own supposedly respectable wedding, it _was_ ridiculous.

Genma grinned. The senbon which he had kept in a pocket during the whole ceremony had reappeared as soon as he had gone gallivanting on the roofs.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Pakkun announced with his deep voice, "the clan head Hatake Kakashi, his wife Hatake Maiko and their husband, Hatake Genma."

We stepped forward with the appropriate pompous poses, and I definitely noticed a flash of light as we stopped behind our canine guards.

Polite clapping started before a shout filled the hall: "You're _late_!"

I bursted into laughter as Naruto's scream reminded me of the manga I used to read once upon a time. It was perfect.

"Yeah! Can we get the damn sake, now?!" Tsunade added, leaning forward and hitting the table with her glass.

I let go of my husbands, and the ninken scattered as we stepped forward.

"Maa," Kakashi said, "sorry, we were…"

"... lost on the road of life," Genma and I finished with him.

Laughters rose as we took our seats.

"Hopefully for a long while yet, as long as we're together," I murmured.

Genma and Kakashi were the only ones to hear me. We exchanged fond smiles.

"Can we eat _now_?!" Naruto asked.

"Just for that, I'm going to say no, Naruto," I replied loudly, to the crowd's amusement and Naruto's whine of dismay. "Instead, I'd like to make a toast." I reached for a cup of sake and stood up with it raised in hand. Once they had imitated me, I announced: "I once thought that the Will of Fire wasn't for me. I was mistaken. Love can bring peace. I believe that. And when I look to all those I love gathered in this room today…" I looked around, pausing as much to held back my tears and get my voice under control than to meet the eyes of those who had made that journey worthwhile. "I have faith that together we can make a better tomorrow… Thank you to you, and to Konoha."

"To Konoha!"

As I sat down, I met Midori's eyes. My mother was shining with pride, drying her tears discreetly. I did the same and chuckled as Kakashi and Genma squeezed my hands.

Whatever came up next. We would be ready. Together.

oOo Bonus - Minato and Midori's PoV oOo

Several hours later, as lunch was ending in favor of games and talks around a cup of tea, Minato left his son in Itachi's care and exited the reception hall. He found who he was looking for near a koi pond, the rolling chair parked under the branches of a colorful maple.

"It's a bittersweet feeling to see them grow, isn't it?" Maiko's mother asked with a soft smile.

Minato hummed in agreement as he stopped by her side. "It is," he agreed, "but I suspect your experience and mine are vastly different."

"And hardly the norm," she conceded. Together, they gazed at the calm scenery in silence for a few moments, before Midori spoke up: "I have had ample time to ponder and wonder about my daughter. About her previous life, her previous world, her previous parents… and how all of this would affect her. I imagined the worst and the best… or so I thought." She met his eyes and grinned. "Best wedding I ever went to. I wished I had the thought to make such a scene at my own wedding, damn it."

Minato laughed good-naturedly. His own had been so quiet and intimate that they hardly had the opportunity, but one of his first thought when the ninken had arrived was that Kushina would have greatly approved. He had spared a few seconds of regret at the reminder that she wasn't here to share this with him, but it had been swept away by his affection for his whole family. It had grew a little more today. He was glad.

The Yondaime smiled serenely. "Yes, it's a beautiful day. The Will of Fire burns brighter than ever."

* * *

 _Sorry for the wait everyone, I was stuck on how to make the wedding scene interesting. I hope I succeeded in the end, and that you enjoyed the ninken scenes! =D As always, thanks for editing this go to my dear **Sage Thrasher**. _

_Next: the epilogue; and then the one-shot Minato/Maiko as promised!_


	25. Epilogue

**8 Years Later - Maiko is 28**

"Is he free?"

I didn't look up from the letter I was writing. I needed my best calligraphy for the daimyo. "I'm sorry, I don't understand rude speech. What was that?"

Naruto huffed but corrected himself with the force of habit of years spent under my tutelage: "Good afternoon, Maiko-nee-san. We finished our mission. May we see the Hokage, _please_?"

"Much better," I approved as I finished a kanji and put the brush away. I looked up and smiled at the two teams gathered in front of my desk. "Good afternoon Team Seven."

Sasuke and Sakura bowed slightly, while Kakashi waved two fingers in my direction without looking away from his book (it was a good one, and he didn't have much time to read nowadays).

I turned toward the Suna shinobi waiting patiently. "Baki-san, I hope you and your team are satisfied by your visit of Konoha."

The sensei of the Sand siblings simply nodded, and I had to observe his students to gather a few clues. Gaara seemed calm, which was the norm since his seal had been fixed. Temari didn't look more exasperated than she usually was in Naruto's proximity. Kankuro was playing with a mask which looked like one of those sold by a popular artist of Konoha. Apparently, they had made at least a purchase and seemed satisfied enough. Good. Their participation to the Chuunin Exams was an unique opportunity to continue the rapprochement between our villages.

"Let me inform the Hokage you're here," I said as I reached for the intercom seal. Once it was activated, I announced: "Hokage-sama, Team Seven and our Suna guests to see you."

Chakra pulsed under my finger in a defined pattern for "hold", and I looked up to translate: "He'll be with you in a moment."

Naruto slouched against my desk and whined: "Who is in?"

"Someone who will give you an earful for me if you don't behave."

"I'm behaving!" Naruto said hastily as he straightened. "See? I behave. Don't tell Iruka-sensei."

I had no idea why Naruto was more afraid of Iruka than me. Was it because I was regularly showering him with affection? Or because Iruka could make his life miserable with a well designed seal? To be fair, every Academy students was highly respectful and slightly terrified of Iruka. I wondered sometimes what he showed them in those special fuuinjutsu lessons recently added to the curriculum. I'd ask Daichi as soon as he got one.

The door to the Hokage's office opened to let Iruka through. The three Konoha genin saluted their former sensei in unison. As I watched, I thought — not for the first time — of becoming a teacher at the Academy. It reminded me of my previous life and made me wistful, but I knew I wouldn't leave my job for anything (I was content in this position, near those I cared for and the center of decisions). Maybe in another life.

Iruka left after a few words to the genin. Part-time researcher and part-time teacher, he was a renowned fuuinjutsu expert and a quite busy man. We would see him next sunday for our monthly family lunch.

Both teams of genin went in to meet the Hokage. Kakashi waved his fingers at me as he closed the door behind them.

oOo

"I'm home!" I called as I stepped in the Hatake clan house.

Pitter-patter echoed as a pack sprinted toward me, and I braced for the traditional welcome.

Kaori reached me first. At four years old, the brown-haired girl was fast and nimble. She jumped high, giving me no other choice than to catch her before she collided head first into my belly. I lifted her on a hip, and she held on tightly without a word — her lips were closed around a lollipop, but if it wasn't candy it would be something else. Weaning her off her pacifier had been hard. She was truly her father's daughter.

Dogs, more or less young, followed next and jumped around my feet excitedly, but they were more interested in chasing each other than in me, and they easily parted way to let the last two through.

Having just learned to run, Minako and Masaki hold on to my legs to stop their momentum, giggling like the excited first years old they were. Grey eyes looked up to me and silver hair fell into their round face as they called for me. If you weren't aware that Masaki was a boy and Minako a girl, they looked like identical twins.

"Hello everyone." I crouched to kiss them, and they clambered into my lap, soon followed by puppies. I had no chance to stand up anytime soon.

"Need a little help?" Kakashi asked amusedly from the living room doorway. Somewhere around his hip, an identical face popped up and judged silently the mess in the entrance.

"Sure, but first tickle your son for me, would you?"

Daichi tried to escape, but he had no chance against his father. Kakashi caught him by the waist, lifting him and tickling tender skin despite his protestations.

"Your mother's orders," Kakashi pointed out with a laidback shrug. "You know the rules. It's either the mask or the judgemental stare, you can't have both."

The seven years old boy reached for his mask and pulled it down before asking for mercy. Since he had started the Academy, he had insisted on wearing a similar mask to his father. While I had refused at first, he had been so determined that I had to agree on this condition. I refused to end up with a little antisocial genius like Kakashi had been at his age. His father had agreed to my compromise, puzzled that his son would want to emulate him so much — the idea that he was a model for his children was still quite hard for him to accept.

Daichi surrendered and came with his father to fetch his siblings. He lifted Masaki with a put-upon air, but readily caught a puppy at his brother's request. Kakashi took care of Minako and scattered the rest of the dogs.

Now able to stand up, I stepped into the living room and glanced in the kitchen to find Noriko. Genma's mother, now retired, took care of her grandchildren when we were working. She was delighted: this was everything she hoped for after losing her own children and husband. My mom sometimes joined her when she was in good enough shape and mood to help with small kids.

"How many lollipops did you give Kaori?"

"Only one, for stopping Masaki from eating a bug," Noriko cheerfully replied as she prepared dinner (she was a godsend).

"That's my girl," I whispered before kissing Kaori's temple. She was the wisest of her siblings (she took after me).

"Mommy," Kaori said after taking the lollipop stick out of her mouth, "when is daddy coming back?"

"Tonight sweetie, but you'll be asleep," I explained as I went to take out the dishes for dinner. Genma was on evening guard duty.

Kaori scrunched her nose, and her lips wobbled dangerously.

"Do you want to ask your father to tuck you in bed tonight instead?" I asked preemptively. At her nod, I let her down. She skittered toward Kakashi. He was sitting at the kotetsu with the twins on his lap and Daichi by his side as he read them a story. When Kaori tugged on his shirt, he paused and looked up questioningly.

"Father," she murmured, "can you make the monsters go away tonight?"

"There are no monsters, sill—" Daichi started before Kakashi could reply.

"You better not finish this sentence, Daichi!" I shouted from the kitchen, glaring daggers at him. He hunched his shoulders and stayed quiet. Since he was going to the Academy, he pretended to be brave and fearless, and he tended to disparage his sister when she shared her fears. We had to have several talks with him on the subject, but I was hoping he was learning. At least he didn't talk back anymore when I warned him.

Ignoring the interruption, Kakashi lifted an arm in a silent invitation for Kaori to cuddle against his side. "Of course, I'll take care of them," he promised while giving her a reassuring eye-smile. Surrounded by his pack of kids and dogs, he went back to the story of a wolf summon protecting his young master from the cold and the bad shinobi threatening him.

Half an hour later, once we were all sitting around the dinner table, I asked: "How was school, Daichi?"

"Boring."

I held back a sigh. With his intellect, and knowing I had refused that he skipped more than a year (he needed the socialization, his father was a clear proof of it), school held little interest for him. I couldn't really blame him. I had hope though, in the shape of a little girl a month younger than Daichi.

"How was Atsuko-chan?"

"A boy bothered her. I took care of him." At my inquiring eyebrow, he elaborated: "I just made him fall on his butt, and no-one saw me."

While making sure Masaki didn't spit out his rice, Kakashi held out a hand to tousle his elder son's hair in approval. Daichi straightened proudly at the gesture. I didn't comment.

Atsuko was Rin and Raidou's daughter (our simultaneous pregnancies hadn't been planned, but it certainly had been nice to share the experience with a friend, and a medic-nin at that). She was the sweetest seven-year-old girl I had ever met, with warm hazel eyes like her mother's. Daichi and her were best friends. She needed the protection until she learned to stand up for herself, but we also had to teach Daichi to temper his anger. I was glad that he cared so fiercely for someone, but there was no need for him to become overprotective.

"She was worried for her mom," Daichi said. While he tried to pretend this didn't bother him, his frown betrayed him.

"Rin is tired," Kakashi admitted, "but she'll recover quickly. Her wound is healed and the poison out of her system."

Daichi nodded and didn't ask anything more: by now, he knew he wouldn't get any answer on how his auntie had gotten hurt. Personally, I only knew it had been during the mission for Sasori's execution, which had been successful and improved the relationship between Suna and Konoha. Kakashi had been leading the mission, and he had come back shaken. For a while before the Suna medics managed to find an antidote, he had thought he would lose his teammate (several of them actually, as Yamato had been hit too).

From the other side of the table, I could see this haunting him as he stared at Masaki without really seeing him. "Kaori, sweetie, give a kiss to your father for me," I asked, while wiping Minako's chin.

Kaori dutifully rose to her feet and leaned on her father's shoulder to reach his uncovered cheek (he didn't wear his mask during meals at home). Brought out of his thoughts at the touch, Kakashi compliantly leaned down to help. He chuckled when she made a "chuu" sound to accompany the gesture and turned toward me for approval.

"Thank you, honey, that's a job well done."

She grinned and sat back beside Daichi, looking like she would go back to her meal before she suddenly darted out to kiss her brother's cheek.

Daichi groaned in annoyance and wiped his cheek fiercely, before catching his sister in a fierce sideway hug. "You're sticky!"

"I'm not!"

"You are!"

"Father! Tell him I'm not!"

Smiling at their antics, I focused on Minako when she gaped, distracted by the fight, and let her food trickle out. I loved my kids, but I would truly be happy when the twins would be a little… cleaner.

oOo

"You two aren't sleeping yet?" Genma asked as he slid open the bedroom door.

"Couldn't. We decided to wait for you," I replied sleepily. I was lying against Kakashi's chest so we could read at the same time (it really was a good book, I liked the female protagonist), with him propped up against the wall.

Having cleaned and changed in the bathroom as the boys always did when they came home late, Genma slipped between the sheets in his usual sleepwear, a boxer (this one had a dog pattern, because Genma liked to pretend that being a Hatake meant you had to stick with the theme as much as an Inuzuka). "Something wrong?"

I shrugged. "You know, the usual: insomnia for me, nightmares for Kakashi. Same old, same old."

"What a pair," he commented fondly. He pressed himself against my side, and his arm covered Kakashi's around my waist.

"It's a good thing you can sleep whenever and wherever you want, so one of us can be a functioning being," I pointed out with a smile. "I'm afraid Kaori didn't take that from you, though."

"Bedtime was bad, uh?"

"She needed a while to settle," Kakashi replied, resting a little more weight on his chin against the top of my head. "I had to leave Bisuke and Uhei with her."

"Ninken are ten times more effective than teddy bears," I commented with a chuckle.

"But _I_ am less effective than Genma," Kakashi pointed out, but there was little vexation in his voice. Genma was Comfort Daddy. That's just how it was. And mummy might bring comfort too, but monsters weren't scared enough of her apparently.

"What can I say? I'm just that good," Genma joked.

I hummed, lifted an arm and rolled over him. Our noses brushed together, and I murmured with a low sultry voice: "Are you?"

"Ooh, so _that's_ why you were waiting for me," he teased with a grin as his hands settled on the back of my thighs and pressed me closer.

"Between Kakashi's mission to Suna and your evening duties, it has been a while since we had time," I murmured with a pout. "Why did you have to go and piss off the ANBU general, idiot?"

"Now, Mai-chan, you can't ask an idiot to go against his nature," Kakashi snarked, but he was putting away his book with an unusual promptitude.

"Fuck you, 'Kashi," Genma replied with a rude gesture.

"If you insist, but ladies first."

oOo

The mornings were always a lively time.

Daichi and Kaori were bickering in the bathroom with Pakkun playing referee and reminding the eldest to mind his strength against his little sister. In the living room, the twins were busy climbing all over Bull, who still somehow continued to sleep, just like Genma who was taking advantage of his day off to sleep late despite the noise. Kakashi had disappeared for an early jogging while I made breakfast.

I put rice porridge, fruits and all their favorites on the table, and then rung the bell calling for them (shouting in this house was as ineffective as annoying).

Bull stood up and scuffled toward me with the kids holding on to him in delight. I freed him of his burden, sitting the twins on thick pillows in front of the low table, and rewarded Bull with a scratch under his chin for his trouble.

A moment later, although I didn't hear footsteps, the shoji door slid open to reveal a wide figure holding an exasperated (Daichi) or amused (Kaori) kid under each arm.

"Ah, good morning Gai-san. Will you join us for breakfast?"

"Maiko-san!" He bowed to the waist, the children protesting at the move. "Good morning! I don't want to abuse your hospitality—"

"Yes, he will," Kakashi interrupted as he appeared behind his friend and pushed him forward.

"Alright. Take care of the twins for me while I add a seat, would you? Masaki, _no_. Don't touch the knife."

"Maa, it's fine, Mai-chan. It's not sharp," Kakashi replied as he took over while I went to the kitchen. He recoiled when I was in his face a second later, glaring at him fiercely. He chuckled nervously and grabbed the knife out of Masaki's reach without a glance. "No blades of any kind around the handsy babies. Got it."

Satisfied, I left to fetch a bowl and chopsticks.

"You weren't so strict about it with me," Daichi pointed out as Gai let him down. He grabbed the knife to make a point.

"I was. It's with your fathers I wasn't strict enough, and look how that went."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, offended.

I looked over my shoulder and stared at the knife pointedly. "How many blades do you have on you right now?" As he slowly put the knife down and didn't reply, I added: "If your siblings even _brush_ one before they learn how to properly handle them, you're on babysitting duty until you're chunin, Hatake Daichi, is that _clear_?"

"Yes, mom!" Daichi replied hurriedly, slapping Kaori's hand away from his kunai pouch (the little minx loved to get him in trouble).

"So much protectiveness," Gai whispered with gleaming eyes as I handed him over his bowl.

"Gai, don't start," Kakashi interrupted him, "it's too early for you to fawn over my wife."

I hit him in the back as I went to sit on the other side of the table. " _You_ , don't start. It's too early for you to bait him into a rant about his faithfulness to my mother. Gai-san, ignore him and serve yourself please."

"It's too early for him full stop," Daichi muttered in his porridge. The two slaps which reached the back of his head gave him a nose covered in white. He slowly looked up, trying to glare at his parents, only to be met with raised eyebrows daring him to say another word. Sighing, he went to wash his face at the kitchen sink.

I leaned forward to murmur to Kakashi: "Is it an abuse of power if I ask Hokage-sama to put him in a chuunin team with just the nicest, most polite sensei and teammates?"

"Pretty sure, yes."

"I don't care. He needs the good influence. Stop rubbing off on him!"

"What about you? The sass comes from you."

"Barely!" I hissed before thinking better of it and tilting my head in acknowledgement. "Just a bit. Okay, maybe I should stop mouthing off in front of him too."

"Can you?" Kakashi shrugged again. "He's our son. That's just how he is."

"What are you muttering about?" Daichi interrupted as he sat back down next to me.

"Ah. Nothing, sweetie," I said cheerfully before succumbing to an impulse and kissing his cheek. "Come on, eat well and don't forget your bento for lunch."

"Stop being creepy," he grumbled.

"Watch the way you talk to your mom, kid." Genma leaned on the open shoji panels, rubbing his tousled hair and stifling a yawn with sleepy eyes. "Hi, Gai."

Gai's greeting was covered by a chorus of "Daddy!" — which demonstrated perfectly the level of noise we had to deal with on a daily basis.

I held back Kaori before she could topple the table in her eagerness to hug her father. Genma came to kneel beside her and lifted her into his lap so he could take her place to the table instead. She made him bend his head so she could kiss his cheek. On his other side, Minako made grabby hands to get the same. Her twin brother was focused on trying to catch Kakashi's hand while he fed him.

"Good morning my little princesses. Who's smelling good today, uh?" Genma teased Kaori, nuzzling her ear and getting giggles in reply. In retrospect, I realized he had suggested her name — Kaori meaning 'fragrance' — just to be able to say that. What a goof.

Everyone settled down, and the meal passed more calmly.

Afterward, Kakashi and I took Kaori and Daichi in the garden and left the twins with Genma and Gai. The weather was warm and dry enough for us to do our ritual stretching outdoors. Like every ninja family, we accustomed the children to simple exercices early on, not necessarily to prepare them to a life of fighting (I wasn't even sure that Kaori would go to the Academy: she didn't seem very eager, and we wouldn't force her), but just because it was our own habit and a good one to share.

Daichi could already do a lot, and he followed his father's example religiously, adjusting to his corrections promptly. Kaori was less nimble, and I led her through simple stretches and coordination games. She liked it as much as her brother, but they had a different approach to it. He was intent on perfection. She was enjoying herself. Knowing how much she liked to watch me dance (when I had the rare occasion to indulge) and how eagerly she asked to join me, I wondered if that wasn't the path she'd rather follow, but of course it was much too early to guess. She had time to explore.

Holding her hand, I let her jump up and down on the stairs until she was so tired she lied down on the patio like a starfish. By then, the boys were done too. Sitting on the edge of the patio, Daichi asked:

"Do a taijutsu spar."

"Mh? Did you say something?" Kakashi asked nonchalantly.

"Spar together, _please_."

"I guess I have time for a short spar," I agreed.

We faced each other in the courtyard, like many times before. Genma and Kakashi had regularly taken time to teach me so I could ensure my own safety and that of our children. I was quite proficient at taijutsu, had learned to detect and resist simple genjutsu, and had mastered a few water jutsu. I wouldn't be on par with any jounin, even tokubetsu jounin, but I had a good level for a chuunin and an excellent one for someone coming from the Genin Corps. I felt confident in my own capacities, and that made me prouder than I would have ever thought when I told myself I didn't need a jounin sensei anyway — I was wrong.

Daichi liked to see us train. I still managed to hold his interest even when I wasn't to his fathers' level. I had a few years yet before he could beat me.

As we traded blows, jumping and twirling around the courtyard swiftly, Daichi shouted: "Why are you moving so much?"

I couldn't afford to speak as I fought, but Kakashi replied: "Why do you think?"

"You don't always move so much when it's you and dad, but you both do when it's with mum. So it's about her. She… dodges a lot more. Also, she uses her legs more than dad."

"Correct," Kakashi approved, blocking a side kick. "Your mom relies more on agility than strength. Forcing her opponent into chasing her and using her environment and nimbleness is in her favor. Always play your strengths, Daichi."

"Yes, father."

I jumped and tried to grip Kakashi at the neck to unbalance him, in a Natasha Romanoff move (I would have never thought I could try that one), but he grabbed my thighs, hold them away from his neck and flipped me over his head.

Swearing, I landed awkwardly out of this involuntary front flip, with a knee to the ground and an ankle bending uncomfortably.

Kakashi's hands were on me before I could recover. He pulled me up, rested my left hand on his shoulder and kept the right in his. The next moment, we were waltzing around the courtyard.

Daichi groaned in exasperation. "Why do you always do that?!"

"Do what?" Kakashi asked innocently.

"That! The… dancing thing!"

I laughed quietly.

Kakashi's eye crinkled in delight. "Because your mother likes it."

"And because you like teasing your son," I murmured, amused.

"That too," he agreed softly but cheerfully, before calling louder: "You should get ready, Daichi, or you'll be late to pick Atsuko-chan."

oOo

"We're running late on our projections."

"Time is of no matter. Success and low casualties are my main concerns, and on that record we're doing well." The Hokage glanced to the ANBU general with a teasing smile. "Look on the bright side. We're winning time with each success." He paused to accept the cup of tea I was offering him, thanking me with a smile.

The group of five men gathered in the Hokage office was what I called the "Dealing with Maiko's revelations" team. Jiraiya, Shikaku, Minato, Kakashi and the ANBU general had organized mission after mission to deal with what I had revealed to them, Akatsuki being first and foremost.

Sasori was the last success, defeated by Kakashi, Rin and a team from Suna (the successful combined mission played a big part in Minato's good mood). Before the puppetmaster, Hidan had been burnt to ashes by Itachi and his ANBU team (I wasn't supposed to know it was Itachi, of course, but who were we kidding? I could identify two thirds of the ANBU corps by now). Kakuzu was next on the list, but he was a shrewd old slippery man and the reason for the General's annoyance (he had escaped his spies several times).

Deidara had left Iwa only months ago, and it had been decided he wasn't an urgent threat. As for Kisame, he had been recruited by Utakata, somehow.

Then there was Konan and Nagato. That was a complicated issue which was personally dealt with by Jiraiya and, when it hadn't been enough and the sannin had gotten injured trying to reach his old students, Minato himself. Together, they had finally been able to speak to the leaders of Ame. From what I knew, they had had to go back two more times before they weren't assaulted by sharp papers at each attempt. It was only recently that a tentative understanding and correspondence had been established.

"How was your meeting with Nagato-san, Jiraiya-sensei?" Minato asked.

"Good, good. He only asked me twice to bring you next time. Like, seriously, why does he like you more than me?"

"That's a rhetorical question, right?" I said in a low but dubious tone as I filled his cup.

He made a hurt face and clenched his hand over his heart. "Mai-chaaan, you hurt me." More seriously, he took something out of a pocket and held it out to me. It was an origami of a dancer. "By the way, they want to meet you too. Konan made that for you."

Kakashi suddenly looked up from his book. "You told them about Mai?"

"Relax, Kakashi," Jiraiya replied with a lazy hand wave. "They just know she's Minato's assistant and… a few tidbits."

"Like what?" I asked as I admired the pretty folding.

"They like you because they think you kick Jiraiya's butt on a daily basis," Minato replied candidly.

I made a sceptical face. "What kind of reputation are you giving me?"

"A fearsome one," Jiraiya stated with a firm nod.

"Right…"

"Anyway, I think they're willing to listen to us about Zetsu, but Nagato still refuses to talk about the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. We're on the right track though. If we prove to them that Konoha is Ame's ally, we'll get their trust and be able to deal with this together," Jiraiya said seriously.

I hid a soft smile at his decided tone and posture. He was greatly determined to redeem himself toward his old students. This mattered to him dearly.

"I agree," Minato said. "There is no need to rush. We need their cooperation for the rest."

"On the matter of Kakuzu. We need to decide on a team to be sent as soon as his location is determined," Shikaku spoke up.

Kakashi lazily raised a hand.

"Kakashi will lead the team," Minato said before tilting his head in thought.

"Uchiha Itachi," the ANBU general volunteered.

"Agreed."

"Tenzou," Kakashi asked.

"Granted."

"That's lightning, fire, earth and water. You need wind," Shikaku pointed out.

"Asuma," Kakashi immediately offered.

I straightened. For me, Asuma being anywhere near Kakuzu didn't seem a great idea, but I relaxed as Kakashi glanced at me calmly. It would be a balanced team, one which would be considered overkill for anyone else. With such good teammates, Asuma wouldn't get the same fate as I remembered. I nodded softly in understanding and went back to taking notes.

oOo

Monthly family lunch had evolved over time. It was now a standing invitation for every friend and family: they could come at the Hatake mansion every first Sunday of the month, bringing any kind of food or drink of their choice.

The weather was sunny that day, and the garden was packed. As I brought a fresh carafe of water from the kitchen, I looked around.

Izumo and Kotetsu were playing with the twins, their giggles filling the air. Midori, my aunt, and Noriko were chatting near the buffet table. Sitting on the patio nearby, Minato and Iruka were bent over a scroll. Naruto was chasing Kaori around a tree. Rin and Raidou were sitting on the grass, watching their daughter compete with Daichi in a hand game.

"Maiko-san."

I turned around to smile at Itachi and Sasuke stepping in the courtyard and bowing in greeting. "Welcome! It's good to see you Itachi-kun, it has been a while. Sasuke-kun, I hope your injury is healing well." At their polite answers, I chuckled and waved them toward the table. "Go on, don't let me keep you away from the food."

Sasuke rather went immediately for Naruto, who stopped tickling Kaori to jump at him. Itachi put down the onigiri he brought on the table before looking up toward the roof where Kakashi was lying down, being asocial to finish his latest book. A moment later, Itachi was sitting by his side with a plate of food on his lap and silently started to eat after greeting his senpai. Kakashi simply grunted in reply. I would sweatdrop if I didn't know this was great socializing for them.

"Ah. Are we late?"

"You know you can come anytime, Shikamaru-kun," I replied without turning around, too busy looking at my feet to gently push a puppy out of my way. "But weren't you supposed to be at this clan meeting with your parents?"

"Troublesome. I didn't want to go, so mum said it was either the meeting or coming here."

"And you chose here? Aww, I'm touched!"

"You let me nap."

I laughed and finally looked up. "Oh! Choji-kun! He dragged you here? Welcome! It's always a pleasure to see you. Go ahead, enjoy yourselves boys."

"Will Neji come?"

"I'm afraid not. His team left for a mission yesterday. But look who's happy to see you..."

Kaori had skittered toward us. Although she was a very friendly kid and liked everyone, Shikamaru was one of her favorites. They often played quiet games together. She bowed politely before reaching for Shikamaru's hand and pulling. "Shika-kun. You said you would teach me hanafuda."

"Aah. Right. I have to eat first, though."

"Why don't you show Shikamaru the mackerel sushi, Kaori?"

"Yes, kaa-san!"

I followed them to the table, where I picked yakitori done by Raidou. Biting in the meatball, I was going to check on the twins when Genma suddenly appeared in my way, catching me with a grin before I could collide with him.

"Hello, darling. Sorry I'm late. Did I miss anything?"

I swallowed and shook my head.

He immediately pecked my lips and went for his own food. "I met someone on the way. Come on, Tenzou. Help yourself. You know the rules."

I glanced in the direction he was talking to and took a step back when I saw how close Tenzou was standing. He bowed to me shyly — despite Kakashi and Genma's best efforts, he was still rather self-conscious around me. I suspected it had to do with the whole episode of 'someone wearing his identity to put me under a genjutsu'. Taking pity, I let them to it and went to check on the kids.

Half an hour later, Naruto found me lying on the grass with my head on Genma's lap, eyes closed to enjoy the sun.

"Ne, nee-san. Tell Sasuke-baka that I'll be Daichi's sensei!"

Shielding my eyes with a hand, I looked up at the genin a little bewildered. "I think you'd be a little too young for that when he becomes genin, Naruto-kun."

Naruto groaned in disappointment, ignored Sasuke's satisfaction and pleaded: "Kaori's, then?"

"Don't get so hasty, kid," Genma said. "Kaori's only four and more interested in dancing and puppies than kunai and jutsu."

"But, who'll be Daichi's sensei then? It has to be someone good! You can't trust any jounin," Naruto complained, crossing his arms.

"Don't worry, Naruto-kun, I have the best in mind," I stated, eyes closed once again.

"You do?" Genma asked in surprise.

"Who?!" Naruto immediately demanded.

"Well, Itachi-kun, of course."

"What?! Where is he? Itachi!" Naruto ran toward his new rival, shoving Sasuke in annoyance when he tried to mock him.

"Uh… You're aware Itachi isn't on the jounin sensei list, right?" Genma asked me.

"Yet. We have four to five years to change that."

"There is no way the General is going to let Itachi go."

"It's a good thing that his opinion isn't necessary then."

"What's this I hear about Itachi being Daichi's future sensei?" Kakashi crouched beside us, his book dangling from his hand.

"It's Maiko's plan."

"It's a good plan. Don't you think, Kakashi?"

"Did you ask him?"

"Oh, I forgot. Let me rectify that." I turned toward the jounin walking toward us with two excited genin and a curious Academy student. "Itachi-kun, would you mind transferring on the jounin sensei list when Daichi becomes a genin?"

Itachi froze for a few seconds before bowing. "Not at all, Maiko-san. I would be honored." There was a little smile at the corner of his lips which told me he wasn't fooled by my scheming but willing to go along with it nonetheless. I could say safely that Itachi was fond of me and consequently quite indulgent of my quirks.

"Thank you, Itachi-kun! Please take care of our son." I beamed up at Genma in victory, and he threw his head back with a soft laugh.

"Mum, you said only the Hokage could decide the genin teams," Daichi protested, although he was badly hiding his hopeful look toward one of his heroes — Itachi had once incapacitated an assassin in front of him, which was enough to win the heart of any shinobi in the making.

"Yes."

"Then how do you know Itachi-san would be my sensei?"

"Ah, yes, I forgot that too, didn't I? You might want to go and ask the Yondaime if he would consider putting you under Itachi-kun's care," I suggested with a cheerful smile.

"Yes, okaa-san!" Daichi caught Itachi's hand and eagerly led him toward Minato.

Once they were out of earshot, Kakashi commented: "Remember what we said about abuse of power?"

" _I_ didn't ask the Hokage anything," I replied candidly.

"Insider influence," he pointed out.

"Listen. _I_ got saddled with a lousy jounin sensei, but you two had the best men you could hope for, so I don't think you understand how lucky you were. If being the Yondaime's Assistant as any advantage, it will be to ensure that my son gets the fucking best, alright?"

He eye-smiled. "It wasn't a criticism." He leaned forward and kissed my forehead. "Well done, Hatake-san."

oOo Omniscient PoV oOo

The Genin Corps' building was swept by a wave of chatter when Hatake Maiko stepped in. She had become the idol of the Corps, a role-model, an example and an aspiration. For most of Konoha, she was just the Yondaime's assistant, but to them, her life's story was the first thing genin were taught when they joined. It was a story of hope: hope that even they could reach a good position with enough work, dedication, cleverness and ambition.

Despite her duties, she regularly came by, offering encouragements and kind words, doing her best to learn about them, just like she would for any member of the Jounin Corps.

"Maiko-san, welcome!" The Corps Commander was a recent successor to Akimichi Kuma (who had retired to work with his wife in her grocery) and the first member of the Genin Corps to ever lead their group (beforehand, they had been considered unqualified to lead, even if no-one else but an ancient member of the Corps could know how best the group worked). He had been chosen by the Hokage on Kuma and Maiko's recommendation, and he was yet another example of possible success and change. Knowing to whom he owed his position, he was extremely enthusiastic whenever Maiko visited. "What can I do for you?"

"I thought I should give you a few minutes warning."

"On what?"

She smiled mischievously. "On the Hokage's inspection, of course."

The Commander's eyes widened slowly before he turned around, shouting orders left and right to ensure everything would be in order.

The Genin Corps never got inspections! An Hokage only came by once after his inauguration to have a look, like they did for every other division, and that was it. They were promptly forgotten.

The Yondaime's assistant watched the pandemonium she had provoked with a self-satisfied smile and the feeling of a job well done.

* * *

 _Aaaand it's done! This is officially the end (well, not really... as I said before, there will be one-shots added, but this is the epilogue and there will be no sequel so...)._

 _Thank you so much to_ Sage Thrasher _, who was yet again the best and sweetest beta. Also, thanks to all the readers who ever took the time to review. I'm the worst at replying, but I appreciate all your nice words. If you ever asked me a question and I forgot to answer, please don't hesitate to ask again by PM or on the Discord chat (link on my profile). You won't bother me, on the contrary, it will be easier for me to keep track on the conversation._

 _Now, on the subject of one-shots: as promised, I have a Maiko/Minato AU planned (I have currently +4600 words of it, but it's a bit of a mess and still wants to grow so it needs work...), and a review from_ Sparksofrandomness _asked for family one-shots which I might be willing to provide_ _ _if there is interest_ (a suggestion in particular gave me an idea, which has been briefly mentioned in this epilogue btw; can you guess?); also if you have prompts and they inspire me, it could be done. So, let me know if you want more! =)  
_

 _(EDIT: I have been asked if the one-shots would be published separately or here. They will be added as chapters after this epilogue. I like to keep everything together.)_

 _On the subject of my stories in general: you might want to check my profile if that interests you. You'll find a poll there and, since Shikaku is winning it, I'm currently brainstorming about a OC/Shikaku (too many ideas, but none which won my heart yet). So, stay tuned!_


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